Siren of the Sea
by TheRadiantFire
Summary: Marina Moore lives a good life in District 4- until she's reaped for the 74th Hunger Games. Her whole future taken from her, she's determined to survive this thing, for her family's and her own sake. But things get a LOT more complicated when she catches the eye of a very dangerous boy… [Rated M for language]
1. Chapter I

**CHAPTER I**

 **Hi guys!**

 **So I know some of you expect the sequel to The Unexpectedly Changed Life of Emery, but I have this huge writer's block. That's why I decided to start another story, this time about The Hunger Games! I've written a lot already and will update regularly!**

 **Before you read, I have a few things to say:**

 **1\. I searched on Google for maps of Panem and found a really nice one where District 4 was the most Southern district. Then I watched Catching Fire and saw the district wasn't south in Panem, but more up north... But hey, it's a fanfic and in my twist of the story, District 4 is more to the south with a warm climate!**

 **2\. When I sat behind my laptop to write the story, I had no idea how to start. So I asked my sister who's 14 y/o to give me a word to start the story with, and she gave me chicken... Still, I wanted to use it so I want to thank my little sister for giving me inspiration ;)**

 **3\. Happy New Year!**

 **Now, enjoy the first chapter and I'll see you in a week!**

* * *

Chicken. Unlike my little brother and parents, I had chicken on my plate. Why? Because I didn't like fish. Which was pretty strange. In my district everybody liked fish, since that was what our whole district was about.

It was early in the morning. My father usually had to be at the dock around 7 o'clock, but not today. Still, we always rose in the early hours, every day. I ate the last bit of my breakfast and shoved the plate aside.

"I'm going to Eleanor's", I said as I pushed back the chair and stood up. My mother nodded and swallowed the last piece of food away. "Make sure you're back at twelve, okay?"

I nodded and picked up my plate and glass to bring it to the kitchen. Then I walked out of the front door of the house, feeling the soft sand on my feet immediately. I didn't bother to put on my shoes, nor my coat- it just wasn't necessary in my district. Sometimes there would be heavy rain showers, but they lasted usually no more than two minutes.

I let out a sigh of relief and walked onto the beach. I had to say, we certainly had one of the best houses here in the city; a pretty, spacious house right on the beach- the sea being ever present in our existence. It was the most important thing in our daily lives.

I started to walk over to the house next to mine, where my best friend lived. But I hadn't even taken two steps before I caught sight of her. The wind played with her blonde hair as she stood with her feet in the water, staring at the point where water met sky. I shook my head and chuckled. Damn, she was always so deep.

People always said we were quite the pair, us two. She had blonde hair, fair skin and bright green eyes, while my skin was more tanned and my hair was darker. People never knew what to make of my hair. Was it black? Was it dark brown? I didn't even know. But my eyes were blue. In contrast to my skin and hair, my eyes were light- like most eyes in District 4.

"Eleanor!" I shouted with my hands around my mouth and ran towards her. She turned around and waved. "Marina," she sighed and brought her hand to her eyes, as if wiping tears away. I frowned. She _was_ wiping tears away. "I'm sorry, I know I should've met up with you ten minutes ago."

"It's okay," I said, "I was late anyways." I cocked my head and let a hand rest on her shoulder. "What's wrong?" I asked concerned.

"You know what's wrong," she half-snarled at me, but her face softened quickly. "Sorry. It's just my little brother."

I nodded understandingly. Of course I wasn't angry at her for snarling at me. It was a hard day for all of us. Her little brother had turned 12 only yesterday. This was his first year. Byron, my own little brother, was already 15, but it didn't make it any easier. The thing was that _if_ we could, we both wouldn't hesitate to volunteer for them. But they were boys, and girls couldn't volunteer for males.

I sighed and squeezed her shoulder. "I know," I said softly. "I understand. But his name is only once in the bowl, they won't pick him."

"We can only hope," she sighed as well and turned, letting my hand drop off her shoulder. "After Eridan last year…" She paused, face turning grim, just like mine.

Eridan was our friend. Perhaps a lot more than just a friend. People called us the three musketeers, naming us after some story that was a popular one, hundreds of years ago.

Eleanor, Eridan and I did everything together. We fished, we saved some sea turtles when they came to visit me during work and they come over for dinner a lot. He was a year older than we were, but didn't seem to mind the company of two girls at all.

Eridan was funny, with his dry and sarcastic humor and self-mockery. If he hadn't been my best friend, he'd be serious boyfriend material.

But then he got reaped for the 73th Hunger Games.

And Eleanor and I couldn't tear ourselves away from the television. We watched his Tribute Parade, where he was dressed as a sexy fisherman. We watched his training score, a nice nine. We watched his interview, how he won the ladies of the Capitol. We watched how he became a murderer, a part of the Career pack.

And we watched how he eventually killed off the District 8 girl, though he himself had almost died if he wasn't brought out of the Arena sooner.

When he came back home, he wasn't the same anymore. It was only the most logical thing to happen, but still, you didn't expect it. He lived in the Victor's village and we came by every day, though not a word came out of his mouth. The only one he actually talked to was his mentor, Finnick Odair.

I shook my head, trying not to think about it. Eleanor seemed to want to clear her mind as well and turned to me with a somewhat forced smile. "How many times is your name in the bowl?"

"Six. The standard."

Eleanor nodded. "You?" I asked, looking up a bit. Eleanor had always been taller than me, being a nice 5'9''. I myself was 5'6''. Not short, I knew that, but I had always wished I was taller.

She shrugged. "Same."

Six out of thousands. It was a small chance that we would be picked. But then again, every tribute had thought that before the Reaping.

Because yes, today was that day. The Reaping. And I wished I could say more, like how I was certain that I would be safe just like previous years, but… I couldn't. I never could. Eleanor couldn't as well. And now with her little brother in the bowl for the first time… it was hard.

"Wanna go for a swim?" I asked her and saw a smile tugging at her lips. It was sort of tradition: every morning, before the Reaping, we would dive into the water. It was calming to do so, as if we could clear our minds by just touching the water.

This time, it was the first time without Eridan.

Eleanor nodded and the next moment I pulled my light yellow summer dress over my head. We already had our swimming clothes on underneath it and ran into the water, gladly pretending that it was just a normal day in the weekend. I let my body sink deeper into the water and took in the salty scent of the water. The next moment I felt water splash right in my face and heard Eleanor's laughter follow it. "Oh, you are going to pay for that!" I shouted and dove right onto her and pushed her under the water.

For the next hours we played like that, giggling and laughing as if we were small kids without any concern and worry about the Hunger Games. Finally we got out of the water and giggled a bit. We jumped when someone behind us cleared his throat and we whirled around. There stood Eleanor's older brother. He had his arms folded in front of him and a bemused look on his face.

"Had your fun, girls?" he asked as he walked over to us, putting on the stern-older-brother-face. Eleanor rolled her eyes at her brother and grabbed her dress from the ground. "Why do you always have to ruin everything, Douglas?"

"Because you're late", he stated simply. I raised my eyebrows. "What time is it?" I asked as I picked up my dress as well. He threw a towel at me and his sister. "Half past twelve. I'd hurry if I were you."

"Shit," I said and looked at Eleanor. "I'll see you at one o'clock okay? I'll come by your house."

She nodded and gave me a quick hug before going off with Douglas, who gave me a small smile before turning around. Douglas was 19, his last Reaping was last year and he didn't have to worry about becoming a tribute anymore. Still, he had Eleanor and his little brother to worry about. Even if you weren't picked, the Games would always follow you.

I sighed and walked to my house with the towel over my shoulders.

Home, I ignored my mother's scolding and went upstairs to the bathroom. There I took a short bath, but still made sure my hair didn't smell like salt too much. As much as I loved the natural scent, I didn't want people to say I smelled bad- if I were to be picked.

After the bath I walked to my closet and picked out a dress. I made sure it was elegant, but didn't want it to stand out too much. I hated the fact that I had to question myself the same thing over and over. What if I got reaped? What would the Capitol think of me? What would the other tributes think of me?

I didn't want to ask myself these questions. I didn't want to get reaped. No one did.

My mother braided my still wet hair in a fish braid, saying nothing. She was tense, just like every year. It was hard for her and my father to have both their children in the Reaping. I knew what their greatest fear was. Byron and me both in the Games. It was my greatest fear as well.

It was exactly one o'clock when I headed next door to Eleanor. My parents had told me that they would come a little later, and I took Byron with me. "You okay, kiddo?" I asked and he snorted and rolled his eyes. "Come on Marina," he said, "I think you're more scared than I am." I gave him a look. "Well duh," I said. "It'd be stupid to not be scared." He merely shrugged and followed me outside.

Eleanor and her little brother were already standing on the porch. I felt my heart sink. The boy was shaking. "Hey Glan," I said to him with a smile and crouched in front of him. "It's okay, boy. You won't get picked, I promise." He nodded and I looked up at Eleanor, who gave me a sad smile. I could tell that she had had this conversation with him a lot and it probably broke her to see Glan so afraid. I couldn't blame him.

I stood up once more. "You ready?"

The others nodded, but before we could go, the front door of Eleanor's house opened. There were Douglas and his parents, smiling at me. "Hello Mr. and Mrs. Hurley," I greeted and then looked at Eleanor's brother, giving him a nod. "Douglas."

He smiled. "Let's hope the two of you get to swim next year again", he said and I knew that was his way of telling me to come back this afternoon. "Good luck, Marina", Mr. Hurley said and I nodded at both him and Douglas. Eleanor and Glan had probably said their goodbyes already, seeing the way they looked at their parents. "I'll see you later", I said and then we were off.

The walk to the square was quiet, Eleanor had her hand placed on her younger brother's back. I remembered the year when Byron had been twelve. He wasn't that scared to be honest- but I certainly was.

We arrived no later than five minutes- the city center was close to the sea. Scratch that; everything was close to the sea.

As we drew closer to the ladies with the needles, Eleanor suddenly stopped and pushed Glan away from the crowd to calm him down- at least, _tried_ to. She looked at me briefly and mouthed 'go', before focusing her attention on her little brother. I nodded and looked at Byron. "I'll see you soon, kiddo", I said with a half-smile and laughed softly as he said: "Stop calling me kiddo, I'm 15."

We split up. I watched him go stand in the boys' line and sighed. I really wished I could be sure that I'd see him after the Reaping. But nobody could be sure. Everyone could be a victim of the Reaping.

I walked to the girls' line. A few seconds later it was my turn and I gritted my teeth as I felt the brief but sharp pain in my finger. Then I moved over to the group of 17 year old females, trying to calm down a bit. After all this time, I still couldn't get used to the Reapings. They were uncomfortable, fearful and unnerving.

Eleanor came to my side and gave me a sad smile. "He's going to be okay", I said softly and she nodded stiffly. Finally, a Capitol lady walked up the stage. Calla Roseworth, the ridiculous escort of District four, was wearing a tight yellow dress that made me barf and I immediately knew I had to throw away my own yellow summer dress. Her hair… well, it was a wig of course, but it was awful. I think she wanted birds to sleep in it, because it could very well be a birds' nest.

"Welcome, welcome all of you!" she said in an overly cheerful voice and I mouthed her following words. "Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be _ever_ in your favor!"

She did this every year. It was profoundly annoying, and I just wanted to snap her neck.

I wondered if that was Career-thinking.

"Now," she continued, "we have brought a special movie from the Capitol to you!"

The screen behind her lit up and the movie that the escort knew by heart played. I didn't listen and pretended to watch, while I was actually just staring into the distance. Every year it was the same song over and over again. The only thing that changed, were the tributes. Like Eridan. I looked at the stage, behind Calla Roseworth. There sat the mayor of the district and next to him sat the victors. District 4 had a lot of victors; from the 68th until the 70th Hunger Games, our district even had three victors in a row. And the most recent one was Eridan.

He sat on the stage next to Finnick Odair and Mags Flanagan, scanning the crowd. The next second, his eyes rested on Eleanor and me and he gave a small nod. I nodded back. Eleanor ignored him.

"Come on, Eleanor," I whispered and nudged her, "you can't still blame him."

She refused to look at me, then sighed and turned to me anyways. "I know, it's just…"

"He never said thank you," I finished the sentence for her as she trailed off. "I know, but he's been through a lot. I can't even imagine what he's been through. I haven't seen him crack one grin since his return. And the ones on the television during the interviews and the Victory Tour were forced."

She just nodded and I sighed, focusing my attention back to the escort as the final tunes of the Panem anthem was heard and I felt my stomach contract. It was time for the Reaping.

"I just love that," she said with a dramatic sigh, then turned to us again. "And now it is time to pick one young man and woman to represent District 4 with pride!" If I weren't so nervous I would've rolled my eyes at her. She sounded so enthusiastic I think she might have fainted if she wasn't broadcasted on national television.

"As always," she said with a bright smile as if it was some privilege, "ladies first."

She walked over to the female bowl.

Six out of thousands. I wouldn't be picked. The odds were in my favor. Comparing to some of the poorer people, the odds were in my favor. I wasn't going to be picked.

Calla Roseworth played a little bit with the folded papers, then pulled one out. I looked at the small paper. This little thing decided if someone would be dead or alive after a few weeks. It decided if I would be dead or alive after a few weeks. I watched her open it and she moved closer to the microphone.

"Marina Moore!"

It wasn't until I heard a gasp next to me that I realized who's name had been called.

Mine.

My heart stopped and I almost choked. I turned to Eleanor, eyes wide, and saw that she was probably mirroring my own face expression. She quickly pulled me into an embrace as if she wouldn't let me go, but I felt numb. I was too numb to even hug her back.

I was going to die.

It felt like my body took ages to catch up with my brain and I finally let go of her. I couldn't look at her. I couldn't say anything. I couldn't even cry. The only thing I could do was what I had to do. I walked to the stage. Everyone around me looked at me with pity, but also relief in their eyes. They weren't picked. But I was. They shuffled away from me so that I could walk to the stage.

The only thing I wanted right now, was to die. I just wanted to die on the spot. That was better than to be killed with a knife, arrow or sword. As I made my way to Calla Roseworth- now not just an escort anymore but _my_ escort, I felt every eye of District 4 watching me. Now I wanted to puke.

But then I remembered the cameras everywhere. I didn't want them to see me chicken out- not that I even _could_. I didn't want them to see me as their new prey. Even though I was shaking, I took a deep breath in and straightened up. I had to look strong. I walked up the stairs and ignored the hand that Calla gave to help me up. I almost wanted to snarl at her that I could walk by myself perfectly well. But I didn't. Somewhere in this nightmare, I still had my manners.

I stood on a stage. Never in my entire life had I stood on a stage. But I didn't care about the audience. I could only see Byron in the crowd, horror written all over his face. I almost felt the tears leave my eyes.

 _No_ , I told myself. No, I wouldn't cry. Because I would come back. I would come back for Byron, my parents, Eleanor… everyone I cared about. I think that somehow my face had changed from horror to determination, but I didn't know how much. I didn't know anything.

Calla said something about picking the boy, but I wasn't paying attention. I was looking over the crowd, staring at the sea. Would I ever see the ocean again?

Before I knew it, another young man had been called on the stage. _Don't let it be Byron. Don't let it be Glan. Please, don't._

"Hadrian Waller!"

I exhaled, not having realized I had held my breath. In the front of the crowd, among the 18 year-olds, a boy gulped. Just like the people around me had done, the boys around him shuffled away to let him pass. I had seen that face before- Hadrian worked with my father at the docks. I had seen him catch fish with a trident or a spear, I think he actually had a chance in the Games.

For a second he looked stunned. He looked around, before knitting his eyebrows in a frown. He walked up the stage, not showing any emotion anymore. He went to stand next to me.

"Well," Calla called with smile, "I announce to you, the tributes of District 4! Shake hands!"

I turned to Hadrian, and I saw him crack a small smile. I felt my lips tug up as well and we gave each other a firm handshake and a nod, as if to already say that we wouldn't hurt each other. I only hoped _he_ thought this as a sign of alliance as well.

"Happy 74th Hunger Games, and may the odds be _ever_ in your favor!"

A sob escaped my mouth as the door closed. I was in a spacious room- perhaps the Mayor's office. The walls were painted in a soft blue color, the floor was made of light wood. I knew it was probably the last time I'd see the typical District 4 interior.

I furiously wiped my tears away. _Don't think like that_ , I ordered myself, _don't you_ dare _think like that!_ Suddenly the door opened and I turned around to see Byron and my parents storm inside. "Byron! Mom, dad!" I called and fell into my mother's arms. I sobbed and buried my head in her neck.

"Marina, dear," my mom said as she patted my head and hushed. She tried to pull away from me but I didn't want her to leave me. I didn't want to leave them! "Honey, we only have three minutes with you."

That did it and I let go with a sigh. I turned to dad and he threw his arms around me. Those strong, familiar and safe arms. "If… if something happens to me," I began softly, "if I'm dying… get him the hell out of the room." I didn't want Byron to see my death. He was old enough to see the Games, but age didn't matter when it came to the death of a family member.

My dad nodded and pulled back, but held his hands on my shoulders. "I want you to come back to me, Marina," he said. "You come back to me." He placed a kiss between my eyebrows and I smiled at him.

I wiped my tears away and walked to Byron, who was standing next to dad with tears in his eyes. I pulled him into a hug. "It's gonna be okay, kiddo," I said, but I didn't know if I was reassuring him or myself. "I can take care of myself."

"You have to win," he said as he pulled away and I almost frown hearing the despair in his voice. Byron never let anyone know how he felt about thing; the typical teenager he was. But I guess this was a valid exception. "You have to! You can use a spear or trident, Mar. And knives! You're fast and smart, so you can win!"

I nodded. "Yeah, maybe I can. I'm gonna do _everything_ to try and win, Byron. Everything." I wanted to win, really. I just didn't know if I _could_.

"Here," he said as he dug his hand in his pocket. "I want you to have this."

My eyes widened a bit as he placed a pearl in my hands. "I found it yesterday on the beach. I hope it protects you." Another tear rolled down my eye as I pulled him into a hug once again.

"Are you turning into a softy?" I asked and he rolled his eyes, making me smile. "Thanks, Byron," I said softly. "I love you."

"I love you too", he replied.

The door opened and a peacekeeper appeared. "Time's up", he said and pulled my parents back. I let go of Byron and tried to give him a smile. "Stay safe, kiddo", I said and he struggled in the peacekeeper's arms. "Come back to us, Mar!" The door closed with loud bam.

And it was silent.

I took a few breaths in and a few breaths out, but startled when the door opened again. I relaxed a bit as I saw Eleanor sneaking inside.

"Okay, I don't have long", she said and walked to me with red eyes.

"I'm so scared, Nor," I said. "I'm gonna die. I'm gonna die!" I took everything in me to stop myself from crying again.

Eleanor shook her head and gave me a tight hug. "No," she said, "you aren't. You are going to make it. In three weeks, you will be back here, safe and sound. You understand?"

"I want to," I said. "I have to. I can't leave you and mom, dad and Byron."

"You can't leave me," she said nodding, then tears started streaming out of her eyes. "You can't leave me too!"

I hugged her tightly and cried with her. "I'm not going to leave you," I said. "I'm coming home."

"You better, Marina," she said to me as she cupped my face. "I'll see you in three weeks, okay?" I nodded and she kissed my cheek.

After a few minutes of just hugging and talking, the door closed behind her and I stood there, feeling numb again.

Then it opened _again_ and I frowned. Who wanted to see me now? Douglas? Eleanor's parents?

But it was Eridan.

He closed the door behind him and turned to me, a grim expression on his face.

"Eridan?" I asked confused, but when he nodded, I couldn't help feeling relieved and glad. Finally he had made a move to show our friendship wasn't over. Finally he made contact with me.

I moved closer to him and threw my arms around him, feeling more relieved when he immediately hugged me back.

People always thought there was something going on between us, but the moment we met we had friend-zoned each other.

I pulled away and gave him a questioning look. "What are you doing here? I thought you'd mentor this year?

He shook his head. "Mags volunteered to mentor instead of me this year," he replied. "I don't think I could mentor with you as a tribute, Marina."

I nodded in understanding. "Yeah, I understand," I said. "Do you- uh, do you have any tips already?"

He looked at me with serious eyes. "Don't let them change you, Marina," he said. "Don't let them change you into a monster like they did with me."

I swallowed. "God, I'm so sorry," I said. "I'm so sorry we didn't understand what was happening to you."

"No, don't say that," he said with a smile. "I'm sorry that I ignored you. And that it looked like I didn't appreciate the help."

We were silent for a while, then I looked up at him. "Eridan?"

"Yes?"

"Please, talk to Eleanor for me?" I said, almost pleading. "She can't lose me too after you."

He nodded. "I will."

Eridan gave me another hug and then let go, walking to the door. "Goodbye, Marina. Come back to us."

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 **I hope you liked it and I'll see you in a week or so!**

 **Oh and... review!**


	2. Chapter II

**CHAPTER II**

 **Hahah I said 'see you next week', but here I am again..! I just couldn't wait to update.**

 **Anyways, in this chapter Marina is on her way to the Capitol.**

 **Enjoy reading this chapter of Siren of the Sea!**

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Crystal chandeliers. Crystal glasses. A soft rug on the floor. Velvet chairs. Golden cupcake holders. The food.

Damn. This train surely was the dream in a nightmare.

Calla studied our faces and grinned before walking inside. "I know, I know!" she exclaimed. "That's a big perk of being a tribute: you get all this!"

That latter let my face fall into an irritated expression. _Well, thank you that I can spend my week in luxury before I'm brutally killed by a sword cutting my head off. Just thank you._

"Sit down," Calla said and gestured to the blue velvet chairs. Then she took off whilst saying: "I'm going to get Finnick and Mags."

Finnick and Mags. I would meet the Victors of District 4. Somewhere I wished not Finnick was here, but Eridan. However, maybe meeting Finnick was the only thing Eleanor would be jealous of. The thought made me giggle despite the circumstances and I received an odd look from Hadrian who sat next to me.

"Look at that," a voice suddenly said, "a tribute is laughing after being reaped. Now why is that?"

My head shot up and I my eyes widened as I saw Finnick Odair and Mags Flanagan walk into the car. The former was wearing a smirk, the latter elbowed him in the side.

I had seen him before of course. For months Eleanor and I went to Eridan's to take care of him and try to entertain him. Sometimes, we'd come over for a visit to see he already had visitors, like Mags, Annie Cresta or Finnick himself. Eridan never said we couldn't be there, but we felt out of place. We didn't know what he was going through, the others did. We sometimes heard him talking about nightmares, but we had no idea how bad they were.

I don't know if I expected him to recognize me or point out I was Eridan's friend, but he didn't show any sign of that.

"You must be Marina," he said, but instead of shaking it, he kissed the back of my hand. I think I blushed but he had already turned to the boy next to me. "And you Hadrian. Welcome."

We both nodded. "I'm-" he began but I cut him off.

"Finnick Odair. Of course, we know you."

He looked at me with bemused eyes, and somehow he reminded me of Eleanor's older brother. Almost bronze hair, green eyes, tanned skin… "Then you already know this woman, Mags." He gestured to the old lady standing beside him, who was wearing a kind and sympathetic smile on her face. We nodded again. Was he going to say something useful or was he going to state the obvious the whole time?

Mags walked over to the chair. Man, she was old. Which Hunger Games had she won? The eleventh. That was freaking 63 years ago.

"I know people mostly congratulate you," she said as she sat down, "but I won't. I won't even congratulate you when you win."

"If," I corrected. "If we win."

She just shook her head and Finnick sat down next to her. "We'll see about that," he said. "Now, do you already have questions?"

"How do we win?" I asked straight-forwardly.

"Stay alive", he answered simply, but received a nudge in the side by Mags, who had a scolding face.

"You shouldn't listen to Haymitch's advice for his tributes!" she said. "That's why they never survive."

Finnick shot her a mock-offended look, then turned to us again. "Sponsors, of course," he replied more seriously to my question. "Until your training, that will be our main focus. The Tribute Parade is tomorrow; it's the first time that the sponsors will see you. It has to be marvelous."

Hadrian leaned forward with a frown. "But they won't just sponsor us for our looks, will they?" he asked. "I mean, don't they have to get to know us?"

"That's true," Madge said with a nod and a smile, "but they will get to know you during the interviews after the training."

"Indeed," Finnick agreed and clapped his hands. "So, the conclusion. There are three ways to attract sponsors: appearance, so the Parade, then the chance of winning, that's the individual training session, and your personality, the interview. Every part will compensate the other. If your training score isn't so high, your appearance and personality should make up for it. The same goes the other way around."

I nodded- it only seemed logical. Finnick and Mags had really thought this through, no wonder most of the District 4 tributes had received loads of sponsors throughout the different Games. Like Eridan: he had more than enough sponsors to keep him alive in the so-called 'pillars of rocks' Arena. That had been a 'boring' Hunger Games according to the Capitol, since there was no wood to make fire in the cold climate of the Arena and most tributes died of exposure instead of combat. Though the finale had made up for that.

"Are you mentoring us together or separately?" Hadrian asked.

"Separately," Finnick replied. "Mags will focus on you Hadrian." He turned to me with a gentle smile. "And I will mentor you."

We were dismissed for the rest of the afternoon and I spent it wandering around the different cars. I had never been in a train before and was awed by the speed of the vehicle. 200 miles per hour, the landscape we passed was only a blur to me. Already after an hour the seascape of my home made place for plains, forests and sometimes mountains in the far distance.

Eventually I arrived in the last car, the back of the train. It had an amazing panorama view of what we were leaving behind and a long couch along the windows. I sat down and reached into the hidden pocket of my summer dress. I held the pearl that Byron had given me carefully between my thumb and index finger, letting my mind wander back home.

After some time gentle knock startled me from my thoughts and I looked up to see Calla Roseworth walk in. "There you are, my dear!" she exclaimed. "Come on, dinner's ready! We are waiting for you."

I nodded and stood up to follow her, the pearl sliding back into my pocket.

The two mentors and my district partner were talking softly, probably talking about the Games. I mean, what else would they talk about, right? It was the only thing that was certain. Why talk about school if we'd probably be dead in a week? Why talk about our hobbies if there was no way we could do our favorite things in the world again? Why talk about family if there was a chance we'd… never see them again.

I sat down on the velvet chair, silently, and nodded at them as a greeting. Everyone started eating, but as I looked around I saw mostly fish on the table. By the way, the amount of food on the table was insane. How would they expect us to eat all of that?

I scanned the table and almost sighed out of relief as I spotted some chicken.

"There is always water," Finnick said as they continued their conversation from before my arrival. "If there isn't, the tributes will die from dehydration, which is too boring for the Capitol."

I snorted and rolled my eyes. "Yeah, us having our throat slit by some Career is _way_ more interesting", I said, the sarcasm dripping from my voice. I was aware of Calla giving me a stern look but ignored it.

"Unfortunately," Finnick said with sigh, "yes, it is. But okay, now that you're both here, I want to know what kind of tributes I have here. Tell me, what did you do before the Reaping?"

Hadrian was the first to answer. "I worked at the docks."

"Okay… so you have some skills with a trident or spear?" he asked, frowning at the short reply.

My district partner nodded. "And a blade. I could handle a sword with ease if I had to."

"Confidence! Great," Finnick said with a grin and looked at Mags. "I trust you'll have a plan for him?" Mags nodded, of course she had. She had mentored for over 60 years already.

The bronze-haired mentor turned to me, studying my face. I suddenly felt extremely self-conscious and frowned. "What?" I asked.

He smiled. "Just trying to figure you out," he said. "You don't look like you work at the docks, maybe sometimes, but not enough to let it show on your hands." I looked at my hands, they were soft like they always were and small. As I looked at Hadrian's hands I understood what Finnick meant. His were more rough. "So, what is it that you do?" Finnick asked.

"I, uh, rescued sea turtles", I answer, feeling my cheeks flush.

"That's so adorable!" Calla shrieked as she clapped her hands. Finnick's eyebrows shot up. "You rescue those little baby turtles and then let them out in the sea again?" he asked, sounding surprised. "I almost forgot that was a job."

"Well, it's not a job, it's voluntary."

He nodded. I didn't know if he looked impressed or disappointed. Surely this wasn't something he would've expected; it wasn't a common job. Sometimes Eleanor helped me, her brother as well. Next to them I usually worked with a woman from 70 years old and another from 30.

But rescuing sea animals wasn't going to help me in the Games.

"Can you work with any weapons?" he asked me and I nodded.

"My dad taught me to use throwing and thrusting spears and a trident, of course," I replied. "I'm fairly good at throwing knives as well."

"Good," he said with a smile, "very good."

After dinner, we all went to a TV room to watch the Reapings of each district. When we turned on the television, the broadcasting had already started. I only caught a glimpse of the two tributes of District 1: a girl with gorgeous flowing blonde hair and a tall boy with a cocky grin. Probably the first two of the Career Pack.

The screen switched to the Reaping of District 2. The girl who was reaped didn't even have the chance to process it all, because the next moment another volunteered. I was surprised to see a small girl with brown hair walk up the stage. She was probably around 15 years old? Most volunteers from District 2 were 18.

The name of the boy wasn't even fully read out loud before someone else volunteered again. This time I gulped. Tall, broad, huge, dangerous; all four words came in mind and I felt like I was shrinking all the while. This was a giant. This blond 18 year old guy with icy blue eyes would literally be the death of me. Like, he could snap my neck with just one quick movement.

The second pair to be part of the pack.

District 3 showed a young boy and girl being reaped, both around 14 year old.

Then came our district. The shock was written all over my face as the camera closed up on the screen. Eleanor's hug, how I walked to the stage with an empty mind, but also how I straightened up. I figured I should be proud to myself. At least I didn't throw up or faint. Hadrian's reaping also was just casual. We looked nowhere near intimidating like the first two districts, but I think the tributes would think us as fair competition.

They went on with the next districts. Only a few I remembered well. The redhead from District 5, Dara, and a strong-looking boy from District 7. My heart broke as I saw a young girl being reaped for District 11. She was no doubt only 12 years old, and nobody volunteered for her. She looked so small, it made me think of Glan, Eleanor's little brother. Rue was her name. Chocolate brown eyes and dark brown hair. I already made one promise to myself. I wouldn't kill her. I didn't even want to kill anyone, but still, there was no way I was going to kill her.

The boy was just as brute-looking as the boy from District 2. Damn, this year they certainly picked the strong ones, didn't they?

Then came District 12. A volunteer. Never before had someone in District 12 volunteered. The girl, named Katniss Everdeen, had volunteered for her little sister. I already admired her for that. The boy, Peeta I think, looked stunned for a second, just like everyone to be honest. Well, District 12 would be more interesting this year.

That night I finally let go. The pearl clutched in my hand and my summer dress were enough for me to start crying for hours. Eventually I fell into a fitful sleep, tormented by nightmares about the different types of Arenas and the different tributes I'd seen on the television.

In the nightmare it was freezing, and the only thing I was wearing was my yellow summer dress. Before I knew it, everyone was running and I looked around me frantically. There was that boy from 11, slashing someone's throat. There was the girl from 1, grabbing a blade. And suddenly I saw the boy from 2, stabbing someone in the neck with a huge sword. His eyes turned to me, and only then I realized I had been staring at a bloodbath. He came at me with long strides and I turned around to run away, but it was too slippery. I fell and I heard him laughing at me. I wished the ice would melt into water, but it didn't. The boy raised his sword and before it crashed into my heart, I woke up screaming.

The doors yanked open and Hadrian rushed in. As he saw me, clutching my sheets and tears rolling down my eyes, he sighed and walked over to me.

"Rough night?" he asked sympathetically. Not knowing what to say, I just nodded. "Yeah, me too", he said.

We sat there in silence for a while until I spoke up. "What time is it?"

He pointed to the digital clock next to me. "5 A.M.", he replied. I sighed and thought about home. "My dad's probably already awake. Working at the docks in a few hours."

Hadrian nodded. "I probably would've been as well," he said. "I worked with your father."

"I know, " I said nodding. "I already miss home."

And from then on, even though we were both in our sleeping clothes, we talked about home. The sea, the fish, the beaches, our family and friends… Hadrian had a younger sister, only 7 years old, and his father died a few years ago. He told me little about him, and I understood. Even though we were already friends, we didn't know each other good enough to talk about such stuff.

I told Hadrian about Eleanor and about our swimming tradition before the Reapings. He had given me an amused look and laughed.

Hadrian was a nice guy. I didn't want him to die. But I didn't want to die either.

At 6 A.M., Calla came inside my room and gave us an odd look. "Hadrian, what are you doing here?! You two have to get ready! We arrive in the Capitol in only two hours!"

Hadrian stood up, gave me a quick smile and walked out of the room. I grunted and went out of bed, sending Calla a pissed look. She only huffed and left me alone again.

I washed- they had showers here, which only the most rich people in our district have, and picked a simple dress out of the closet. Calla had said that my Reaping clothes weren't good enough, so I had to pick one from the wardrobe here. I didn't know how, but they got my size right and the light blue dress fitted perfectly. I let my hair loose, it reached to my back and flowed in soft waves. Damn, the shampoo and conditioner did their job quite well.

I walked into the dining area and saw Finnick, Mags, Calla and Hadrian already seated. I walked in as the doors slid open and mumbled a 'good morning', which they all replied.

"Are you ready for today?" Finnick asked me and I resisted to snort. Ready for the first day towards my death? Certainly.

I nodded and sat down, grabbing some bread and jam.

"The Parade!" Finnick exclaimed with a grin and clapped his hands, making my head shoot up at the sudden loud voice. "Aren't you curious for your outfits?"

I frowned and glanced at Hadrian. Did they really expect us to be excited for this?

"No, I wasn't either," Finnick said and sent a glare at Calla, who obviously was curious and excited. "Especially when I saw their designs. God, that was horrible. They wanted to make you look like fish."

Hadrian and I pulled a face. "No, they can't do that," I said quickly, shaking my head. "They already did hundreds of times!"

"Exactly," the mentor nodded. "That's why Calla and I told Ectorius to redesign your outfits. It was just too hideous."

 _Ectorius_. Always such weird names in the Capitol. I let out a sigh. At least it couldn't be worse than District 12. Their designers always made miner costumes. But once the tributes were naked! Only some black dust covered their private parts. It was horrible.

"You will see them after you're washed", Calla said.

I nodded and looked out of the window. I gasped. We were there. I got out of the chair and walked to the window where I saw the skyline of the Capitol. "Hadrian, look!"

He came to stand next to me, eyes wide. I'd never been in the Capitol before, but as the stories said, it looked marvelous. I briefly wondered how Eridan had reacted last year.

But then I saw nothing as we got into a tunnel. I counted the seconds, knowing that anytime we could be in the train station.

And then, we were. Hundreds and hundreds of people stood on the platform; waving, shouting, laughing and photographing. It took me a second to take it all in, and then I smiled. Perhaps it was weird that I did so; I was smiling at the crowd that would cheer for me, but talk about my death as if it was some sort of story.

But I didn't think about that. I waved at the people there, and they became more and more enthusiastic. As the train slowed down from its 200 miles per hour, we went to the exit of the train. The doors opened and immediately, the crowd's shouts and calls filled my ears.

I didn't know why, but I still smiled. Finnick and Mags pushed us slightly to get us moving. The walk to the car that would take us to the training center was a short one and I felt like a celebrity.

And technically, I was.

* * *

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	3. Chapter III

**CHAPTER III**

 **Hello again!**

 **I just realized I never did a disclaimer, so here it goes...**

 **DISCLAIMER: I don't own The Hunger Games, nor do I own its characters. I _do_ own my OCs, that being Marina, Hadrian, Calla, Eleanor and all the other extras.**

 **Now that I've got that covered...**

 **Enjoy the chapter and probably not until next week...**

 **'cause I'm not gonna be able to wait until then, gheghe.**

* * *

When Calla talked about 'washing', I thought she was talking about having a bath or taking a shower.

I was very wrong.

In the Remake Center, every hair on my body, except those on my head, was removed. Every pimple or imperfection was covered with some magic cream. Every part of my body was scrubbed with heavy soap until my skin was burning red like the lobsters from home. It was hell.

Then, after two or three hours, they finally began with the things people would _actually_ see. My hair. The prep team told me that my designer, Ectorius, would do my dress and make-up. When they were done with my hair, I was actually a bit disappointed. It was still as long as before and as straight as before.

"You have lovely long hair, Marina. Ectorius will decorate it more", Ruvius said, the hairstylist. I nodded and they then left me alone in the room. I sat on the metal bed and waited until he came inside with a broad smile. Ectorius actually didn't look ridiculous like the other Capitol people. Okay, he had purple hair and purple eyebrows, but he wasn't wearing a lot of make-up, weird eyelashes or weird clothes. He walked over to me with a sympathetic smile.

"Hello Marina," he said as he looked me over. "They have done a great job. Not that it was really necessary- I already knew I was in love when I saw your Reaping."

I blushed. "Thank you. It was, uh, a long process."

He nodded and walked around me in circle. "So, Finnick and Calla made me change the designs, which I actually understand," he said. "They weren't mine; from some intern, I think."

Ectorius walked over to a desk and grabbed a measure lint. "Could you take off the robe?" I nodded and got out of my tunic. Even though the prep team had already seen me naked during the washing and scrubbing, I still felt a bit uncomfortable. Ectorius measured me quickly, writing down notes before he nodded that I could put the tunic on again.

"Perfect," he said with a smile, "I'm gonna adjust the dress a bit, so why don't you wait here for a while?" I nodded as he headed out of the room to another, smaller one.

I waited for two hours. Luckily, Ectorius had some magazines on a side table and I paged through them, pulling faces at what they called _fashion_. Bright colors, weird hairpieces, puppies as accessories; it was disgusting.

Finally, Ectorius came out of the other room. "Okay, stand in front of the mirrors and close your eyes, will you?"

I walked over to the mirrors and went to step on the block in front of it. I closed my eyes as I waited for him to put on the outfit. I felt how he put on a necklace around my neck. Then, he went to do my make-up. I think it all took another hour before I felt nothing anymore.

I couldn't stand the silence anymore, so decided to try and talk a bit with him.

"So, uh, you were the stylist of last year's tributes as well, right?" I asked him, and I felt Ectorius pause for a brief second, then continuing again.

"Yes, I did," he replied, "the same district."

"Did you do the boy or the girl?"

"I had the privilege to know and style the boy."

I nodded. So he had styled Eridan. I wondered what my friend had thought of this all last year; the Remake Center, the Parade, the training that would start tomorrow… How did he go through knowing that the Games would start in a few days?

"You can open your eyes", I heard Ectorius say.

I opened my eyes and a smile spread over my face as I took in the sight of me in the mirror. My face had simple make-up, highlighting my cheekbones, a blush on my cheeks, black eyeliner and fake eyelashes making my eyes pop. My hair was straight as before, but I assumed Ectorius would have something to touch it up.

My eyes lowered to the dress and one word came in mind: mermaid. The dress I was wearing had a heart shaped body and at the sides of my waist, the fabric was cut out, revealing bare skin. The sleeves were short and hung down my shoulders, but on the backside of the sleeves, a thin and see-through, though glittery cape was attached with a ridiculous long train. The skirt of my dress was tight around my upper legs, but just above the knees the fabric draped out to the floor.

Around my left upper arm, there was silver bracelet that circled it like a snake, making my arms look toned and strong, though the outfit itself looked soft with its light blue color.

Then my eyes caught the necklace around my neck. It was simple, but the pendant was the pearl Byron had given to me. "What? How?" I asked surprised, thinking I had lost it.

"I found it in the pocket of your reaping dress," he said. "Figured it was special to you in some way. Do you like it?"

I looked at Ectorius and saw his grin. My lips curled up into one as well and stepped off of the small platform. "Thank you, Ectorius," I said genuinely. "It's amazing."

His grin turned into a kind smile and he turned to the salon table, picking up something I couldn't see yet. When he turned back to me and walked over, I let out a gasp. In his hands there was a silver tiara with elegant shapes and shiny diamonds. I had never seen a tiara before, even though my district was one of the richer ones, this was something that was above the luxury of District 4.

"It was a pleasure, Marina," he said as he put the tiara carefully on my head and I turned back to the mirror to see how it fitted. I didn't only look gorgeous now; I looked regal.

Ectorius looked at the clock and his eyes widened. "It's time! Only half an hour left! Go, go, go!" He walked to the door and opened it, but I didn't move when I realized something.

"What about my shoes?" I asked with a frown, lifting my dress to my ankles to see my bare feet.

"Shoes?" he repeated with a frown. "What would a mermaid do with shoes?"

"Ah, look at that," Finnick said with an approving grin as I approached the chariot where he, Mags and Hadrian were already standing. "You look hot."

My face was on fire as he said that and I glared at him. Mags slapped him on his arm with a scolding look. "Finnick!" she exclaimed, "stop it, you're making the girl nervous!"

"You look good, Marina", Hadrian said kindly.

"Thanks, Hadrian," I replied and looked at his costume. His chest was bare, and wore a robe around his waist with green-blueish with scales. Around his neck hung a necklace with a pendant of a shell. He looked like some sort of sea god. He looked good. He looked hot. "You look nice as well."

He nodded in thanks before Calla went to stand between us. "Alright!" she said a little too enthusiastic. "Let's get you on the chariot, shall we? We will start in just a few minutes."

Before I walked to the chariot, I first went to the light brown horses that would lead our chariot to the Citadel. I had never seen horses before in my entire life, and they were beautiful. "Hello there," I said softly and let them sniff my hand. When they trusted me I patted them between their eyes. "You make sure we won't fall, will you?"

Finnick rested a hand on my shoulder and looked to the chariot. I nodded and walked over to it, letting Hadrian help me up. Luckily I didn't have to wear heels, because I was sure I'd fall off the damn thing.

Before I knew it, the chariot moved and I looked back at Finnick, who gave me a reassuring smile. I exhaled and looked in front of me again, feeling Hadrian holding my hand for a second. When we got out of the tunnel, cheers reached my ears, and Hadrian let go again.

Thousands and thousands of people were on the stands, hands in the air waving at us, shouting names- our names, and cheering for us. It was overwhelming to be honest. And awesome.

It took me a moment or two to catch up with my brain before I finally started waving at the crowds. I smiled and smiled, laughed as someone threw a rose on the chariot. I shared a look with Hadrian; he picked up the rose and gave it to me. I laughed, took in the scent and then put it behind my ear, receiving loud cheers. I continued waving and smiling, blowing kisses to the crowds.

All eyes were on us, until suddenly people started yelling and shouting for District 12. I looked up at the screens where the tributes were shown and my mouth fell open when I saw the tributes on fire. Literally on _fire_.

I looked back to where we were going and forced another smile on my face. But I knew nobody was looking at me anymore. Everyone had their eyes on 12.

We finally slowed down and came to a stop in a half circle in front of the President's usual spot. I frowned. Even though this moment had been quite amazing, I still hated the guy. He was the reason I got reaped. And he talked about the Games as if it was some sports event. I zoned out at hearing the same speech he'd done the previous years and looked at 12. Their fire had gone out, but they still looked awesome. Black suits, hard faces, and wow… Katniss' hair was just terribly cool.

The horses finally moved again and we returned backstage.

"You two did _amazing_ ," Finnick said with a smirk, clapping his hands as we got off the chariot. "Did you know what Caesar said?"

We shook our heads and I crossed my arms. "What did he say?" I asked. "That we were nothing compared to 12?" To be honest, I was a little pissed and perhaps even jealous that they had stolen the show like that, but I had to say… they had looked gorgeous.

"No, certainly not," he replied and my eyebrows shot up. "They called you the 'Siren of the Sea'. I don't know about you, but that sounds pretty cool to me."

"Siren of the Sea?" I repeated surprised. How did I earn that name? Surely Hadrian had looked more like some sort of ancient god, not me.

Ectorius stepped in and gave me smile. "You looked magnificent out there," he said gently. "You certainly left an impression." I nodded and thanked him, before he said he was going to congratulate Cinna and Portia, whoever they were. I followed him with my eyes and saw he was walking directly to the little crowd around the tributes of 12.

So Cinna and Portia were their designers, I realized. I took a good look at the costumes of the tributes. They were certainly different than the ones of previous years; those had involved being almost naked, entirely naked or being swallowed whole by an old-looking mining costume. Now they looked just stunning.

I don't know how I had stared at the girl's back, who was talking quietly with her mentor I recognized as Haymitch, but when said mentor eyed first me, then probably someone else, he clasped the girl's shoulder as a gesture to follow him.

She looked around a second later, eyes catching mine. She frowned a bit, then looked away and shot a wary look at something else. I followed her gaze, curious what had caught her attention.

The boy from District 2 was looking at her and before I could make out his expression, he turned around to talk with his mentors. I cringed as I saw the sharpened teeth of the female mentor. That had to be Enobaria, famous of ripping throats with her teeth in her Games.

I studied the group a bit: their costumes, their composure and attitude, until the brute boy noticed me.

I stiffened a bit as he caught my eye. His eyes slowly travelled down my body and up to my face again, then a smirk spread over his face. I swallowed, feeling disgusted and as if I was being ranked on my appearance – but I wasn't going to lose this little competition.

So, instead of looking away with a blush which I was sure was already there on my cheeks, I did the same thing with him. I let my eyes travel over his body, still feeling his icy blue eyes on me as I did so. I took in the sight of his bare arms, taking in his biceps, then to his abdomen, knowing he had to have a six-pack there.

Then I looked back to his face, seeing he had his eyes a little bit narrowed. I didn't grin or smirk like he had done, but I simply shrugged ever so slightly and turned back around, ignoring him again. As if he was unworthy of my attention.

"Marina?"

I realized I was focused on the wall some few meters away, feeling the boy's glare still on my back. My head shot to Hadrian, who was standing in front of me. "Come, we're going to our rooms."

I nodded, but saw him glare over my shoulder before turning to follow Finnick and the others. It took everything in me to not look behind me, knowing the boy from 2 was the one Hadrian had been glaring him down.

I followed Hadrian over to the others and raised an eyebrow at Finnick, who was smirking at me.

"You had some serious eye sex out there with 2."

My mouth parted in surprise. "Finnick!"

"What?" he said with a mock-innocent look. "He looked pretty interested in you. I mean, sure the outfit helped…"

I turned away from him. I didn't want him or the others to know I had already challenged the big brute Career from 2, but I guess I had made quite a show of it nevertheless.

"Listen, both of you," Finnick said as he pushed the elevator button to our floor. "You already know about Careers, right?" We nodded. Of course we knew about them; the tributes of our district sometimes were one of them as well. "Good," he continued. "They are dangerous. Not really trustworthy. You could be in their pack, sure, but make sure you don't trust them. They're never true allies."

The doors of the elevator slid open and we walked out.

"It's a shame that we have only the fourth floor," Calla said with a dramatic sigh. "I guess I finally have found something to be jealous of when it came to District 12: they have the penthouse."

I snorted but said nothing. I had nothing to be jealous of with them. Their district was poor, they had way less than what we in 4 had and what the people in the Capitol had.

She opened the door and I gasped. Gasping was something I tended to do a lot nowadays, I realized. Anyway, our temporary home was just… magnificent. A bit too modern for my taste- I missed the wood, but still… I couldn't find words for it.

"This is all for you!" Calla said enthusiastically. "Yes, yes! Your rooms are on the east wing, why don't you wash yourselves, hmm? Then we can have dinner."

My room was in the same style as the living and dining room. I threw myself on the bed, checking its softness. And damn, how soft it was: it felt like laying down on a cloud.

On the wall to my right there was a projection of the people from the Capitol walking over the streets. I stood up, only then noticing the remote on my side table. Picking it up, I tapped on it, seeing the image change on the wall. The skyline of the Capitol. I tapped again. Some desert-like landscape. Now where was this? I had studied maps back home and knew a bit about the different nature and climate about each district, so I had to know at least in which area this was. Oh! It wasn't in a district. This was the outstretched land below out district, where some of the Arenas were built. Nobody lived there anymore; the place was pretty much wiped out during the War.

I tapped again. Some forest. I didn't really know which district- probably a little to the north. I tapped again and gasped- _again_. The sea. It was the sea from my district, I knew it right away, seeing I saw the golden sand of the beach. God, I missed home. I missed the feel of the sand between my toes, I missed the salty air and the warm water, my parents, Byron and Eleanor…

I started crying.

I kept on crying as I stepped into the shower, washing the tears and the remains of the make-up away. Sometimes, people could have the sudden moment of realization. That was the moment I had now. Tomorrow, the three-day training would start, then the private training, then a free day and the next day the interview and then… the Games. In less than six or seven days I could be dead.

After drying myself off I returned to my room. I opened the closet to find an enormous amount of clothes. What would I have to do with them in such a short time? I chose a simple white blouse and tight black pants, then switched from a white top to a green one. Wouldn't want to spill something on the precious white Capitol clothing, would I?

I got out of my room and walked to the dining table, seeing everyone was already seated around it. Ectorius apparently lived here too for the short while, but the rest of the prep team wasn't. I also saw another person, a lady, whom I didn't know. Probably the designer of Hadrian.

As we ate, we talked a little about the tactics. Would we hide our skills? Would we show them off? Eventually, we decided to talk about the training tomorrow morning. Calla whined a little more about the costumes of the tributes from District 12 today, but Ectorius retorted that the stylists had done a great job

After dinner I went straight to bed, wanting to have enough sleep for tomorrow's first training day. It'd be the first time to see the tributes in action, Finnick had said, and I was certain to do well.

Though I was nervous as hell.

* * *

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	4. Chapter IV

**CHAPTER IV**

 **Hey guys!**

 **Told you I couldn't stay away to update for a week...**

 **Oh and thank you** _Hanna Kallin_ **for your review! Hope you enjoy this one as well :)**

 **Anyways, here's the chapter!**

* * *

"So," Finnick said during breakfast, "what's your plan for today?"

Hadrian opened his mouth to say something, but Finnick cut him off as he looked at the ceiling in thought. "Some kids stick with the survival skills, the Careers usually only pay attention to the weapons…" he murmured, then looked back at us. "I'd say: do both. _But_ , make sure you don't draw too much attention to yourself; that makes you a threat. And threats need to be eliminated."

I frowned, but nodded.

"Don't go to the spears- it's probably your best skill. We don't want you to show off," he continued. "Make sure you learn new stuff." He looked at me. "You're good with knives, right?"

"Yeah," I nodded, "I can throw, but I don't think that would… uh, kill someone instantly." I shifted uncomfortably after saying these words.

Finnick nodded understandingly, then leaned forward. "How about twin blades?"

I cocked an eyebrow. "Twin blades?"

"Yes, that isn't seen a lot in the Games, you know, but they have them in the Cornucopia every time. You said you were flexible and fast, so why don't you try that? As soon as you feel like you got it under control, leave it and learn something else."

I shrugged. "Okay."

He looked at Hadrian. "Have you talked with Mags already?"

Hadrian nodded. "She also told me survival and fighting would be best."

"Good," Finnick replied and took a last sip of tea. "Now, hurry up. Calla will yell at you if you're late."

We were actually one of the first to arrive. Only we, 1, 7 and 11 were already there and we had assigned spots. I stood in the circle with a 4 in it, feeling already trapped and like a prisoner. I looked around, seeing beside me weren't the spots of 3 and 5, but 9 and 2. Great. I would be standing right next to the Careers.

Wait. I shouldn't even care.

I mentally shook my head and waited for the other tributes to arrive. To be honest, I already felt nervous. 1 kept looking at everyone with nasty and smirking faces, but when the girl's gaze fell on me, she gave me a glare. I frowned and looked away, not sure why she would be mad at me when we hadn't even met properly.

District 5 came in, with the redhead looking around her cautiously- observing. District 8 and 9 came in, then 3. I shifted my weight. Only 2 and 12 were missing.

Hadrian nudged me in the side.

"They're still looking at us", he whispered in my ear, and I knew he was talking about the tributes from 1.

My eyes flickered back to Glimmer and Marvel, but I averted my gaze as another pair of tributes walked in.

The pair of District 2 barged in as if they already owned the place. The girl really was something; short, but imaginably very aggressive. The boy on the other hand was a giant compared to her, and I almost took a step aside as he came to stand next to me, not sparing me a glance. Which was for the better of course- I didn't want to end up on his kill list. Though I couldn't help but wonder if I already was, thinking about our little staring competition yesterday.

A few seconds later, District 12 walked in and the head trainer named Atala started her speech about the rules and the sections. She also advised us not to forget about survival skills, then let us go freely.

Without saying anything, Hadrian and I walked away from the spears with reluctance. The Careers immediately went to claim their spots at the stations with the deadliest weapons.

"We can do the survival skills after lunch. It's true what Atala said; a lot of tributes die from dehydration or hypothermia," I said and turned as I spotted the bow and arrow station. Nobody was there. "We could try the bow and arrows?"

He nodded and we walked over to the station. "Have you ever tried it before?" I asked Hadrian as I took the bow from the trainer and grabbed an arrow from the rack.

He shook his head. "No, never. You?"

"Once, actually," I replied. "My best friend's brother had taught me one day. But I was only 11 years old or something, so I don't think I'll be any good."

Eventually, I had been right. Most of the times I had hit the target, but not the human-shaped area. Once I had hit the arm, another time the leg and the stomach.

I looked at Hadrian. He aimed and shot, and I gasped as he hit the target close to the heart. "Damn, Hadrian!" I laughed. "How did you do that?"

He laughed as well and shrugged. "I don't know," he said as he grabbed two arrows and handed one to me. "I think it was just a lucky shot."

But it wasn't. Hadrian had found his new talent already in bow and arrows. He even managed to shoot bulls-eye – several times!

"You done?" I asked mock-bored and he chuckled. He looked around and I did too. Almost every station was preoccupied: both tributes from 2 were at the knives- Clove was really good at throwing knives by the way, Marvel was at the spears. I wrinkled my nose as I saw him throwing a spear straight into the dummy's eye. I could do that too.

But my eyebrow shot up as I saw a blonde girl, the girl from 1, walking confidently towards us with a smirk. Hadrian and I shared a glance and I folded my arms, already feeling guarded.

She said nothing as she moved past us with a hair flip and I stepped aside to watch her aim and shoot the arrow. She was good, I had to give her that, but not as good as Hadrian.

I turned to Hadrian. "I'm going to practice knives a bit, 'kay?"

"Sure," Hadrian said, "I'm just gonna practice some more."

I frowned. Why would he practice some more? He just said he was done? I nodded anyways and walked away. I turned my head back a little as I walked away, seeing him talk a little with her and groaned inwardly. What was he doing? Finnick had advised us to stay away from the Careers! Surely Mags had told him too! Why would he want to talk with that girl anyways?

I already knew why. She was exactly the opposite of ugly. Her blonde wavy hair, her pretty face…

…but she was probably just a bitch.

I looked back in front of me again, only to find myself collide with a big solid thing. I mean, human. A big, broad, blond human. I shrieked a bit and steadied myself before looking up at the boy from 2.

"Watch where you're going, little girl," he snarled nastily. "Wouldn't want to run into a knife, would you?"

I felt my heart beat quicken with fear. The boy was towering over me, his icy blue eyes piercing right through me. This dude was fucking scary. I was lucky I hadn't really seen him during training; no doubt he would've looked terrifying.

He wanted me to be afraid of him- scratch that, he wanted _everyone_ to be afraid of him. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction. As my heart beat slowed down again I lifted my chin, only slightly, but still enough to see a tiny bit of confusion in eyes.

I pushed past him, or at least _tried_ to push past him since he was so big I didn't have any strength comparing to him. He was too grounded, his weight equally divided over his body. Still I managed to do so, hissing a 'shove it, you ass' as I walked further.

That probably wasn't so smart, but I decided to do nothing about it. I still felt his eyes watching me as I walked away, and it gave me a weird shiver. I arrived at the station, asking the trainer about the twin blades.

"Have you got any experience with them?" he asked me. I shook my head. "I can throw spears and knives, but I've never tried this before."

He nodded a little reluctantly, grabbed two identical looking blades and then began explaining the basics of how to hold them properly, use them to block and to attack. Eventually, he started with offense and I had to block the blows.

I liked these weapons. With these, I would be able to move swiftly and controlled – though it took me a while to get the hang of it. The trainer started without a weapon, but managed to hit me a few times in the stomach and chest nonetheless. When he saw I could hold him off he grabbed a sword. I had to swallow at the sight of the long blade, wondering if it really was that blunt as he assured, but I didn't think I wanted to find out.

Eventually, the trainer stopped. "Sorry, girl," he said with an apologetic smile, "but there are other tributes waiting."

I let go of my fighting stance and nodded. "Is okay," I said, "thanks."

I walked back to the middle of the gymnasium, trying to decide which station I should go to next until suddenly, something made me turn to see who was making the hair on the back of my neck stand up by watching me.

I stiffened as I saw the Careers a few meters away- looking at me. I narrowed my eyes. They were looking at me with smirks, as if I was their meal. Sure, I wasn't perfect with the blades yet, but it was okay for the first time right? Before I could send them a glare, someone grabbed my arm.

I yanked it away before I realized it was Hadrian, and I let out a sigh. "There you are," I said and turned my back to the Careers. "I already wondered where you were. What have you been doing?"

"Tree climbing", he answered.

"Climbing trees?" I laughed confused. "Why would you climb trees?"

He chuckled at my response. "You never know in what kind of arena we might land," he reasoned. "What if the arena is all forest? Sleeping on the ground would leave you dead when _they_ find you." He nodded over my shoulder to the Careers. I nodded. "True," I said and looked at the fake trees. "I think I'll do that tomorrow then."

"As I was in the trees, I have been… observing people", he said with a grin.

I laughed. "Creepy stalker alert. Have you been observing them as well?" I said, meaning the Careers. "I didn't really have the time to do so."

"Yes, I did," he said quietly and suddenly gave me a look that worried me. "Try to keep your distance from the Careers, Marina. They're constantly giving you looks that unsettle me, but I don't know what they mean. You draw attention- not just from them, but also the other tributes."

I raised my eyebrows. "I do?" I asked surprised.

He nodded. "You're quite good with those blades," he said, but not as if it was a good thing. "I'm not the only one to notice. They'll see you as a threat." He paused, then cracked a smile. "But, if you keep on going like that, you might earn a 7 or so by just doing that during the individual training session."

I couldn't help but grin. "Really?" I said surprised. "I'm that good?"

"Don't get too cocky there, Marina," he said with a pointed finger and a grin. "Arrogance is the main reason for death. You could practice more, but as soon as you feel you're getting the hang of it, leave them."

He looked around him and I followed his gaze to the hand-to-hand. I clapped him on his arm. "Go," I said, gesturing with my head to the station. "We don't have much time until lunch anyways. Only forty minutes or so." He smiled and nodded before walking off.

I looked around until a running course caught my eyes. It ran all around the gymnasium, along the wall. I decided having a run could do good, and walked to the trainer over there. Seeing by the way he was standing there, no one had used the running course yet, and his eyes practically lit up as he saw me.

"I'd like to do the whole lapse three times", I said and he nodded, getting his stopwatch ready.

"Whenever you're ready", he said with a smile.

I got ready and sped off. This was a perfect way to clear my mind a bit, I thought with a smile. Everything around me went in slow motion; the spears being thrown, the knives being used, the arrows being shot, while I was as fast as light. Well, okay, that was slightly exaggerated, but still.

Four times a week I would do a morning run back home. I would run along the ocean, the brisk and fresh wind through my hair and the scent of salt water filling my nose. I'd do anything to just have a moment back home again. With my parents and Byron, swimming with Eleanor and joking around with some girls and boys of my school. And now that I knew Eridan wanted us three to reunite again…

I frowned and pushed further, not wanting to think about that and forcing myself to focus on the running.

After the running course, I did some cooling-downs, filling the rest of the time until lunch. I watched Hadrian do hand-to-hand combat and I had to say, I was again impressed. Hadrian wasn't broad like the Cato and the boy from 11 at all; he was more like the boy from 12, I realized. However, he was strong and was currently fighting two of the trainers at the same time. I looked at the other tributes; some of them were watching my district partner, some of them weren't.

But I didn't miss the impressed looks of the Careers, mostly the guys of course. What exactly was their plan?

The bell for lunch rang and I walked over to Hadrian, who was wiping his neck with a small towel.

"Had some work out, Hadrian?" I asked with grin. "You were pretty good, I must say. And I'm not the only one to notice."

He laughed a bit as I used what he said to me against him and we walked to the lunch area. The air was tense, and most people sat alone- except for the Careers of course. Unfortunately, we were the last to arrive in the canteen and the only empty table was the one right next to them.

Hadrian and I sat down and took some bread out of the basket that stood on our table. There were all sorts of bread, not just the familiar of our district, but also half-moon shaped bread with seeds. I took one of those, knowing it was the typical bread of District 11.

It was quiet and tense in the canteen, only the Careers talked loudly. I heard Hadrian clear his throat and I turned to him.

"So survival skills after lunch?" he asked softly. "I want to learn to set some traps or something."

I nodded. "Yeah, me too," I replied. "And I think it's best if we stay together this afternoon."

He raised an eyebrow and followed my gaze to the table next to us. "Oh", he said and nodded, understanding what I meant. Occasionally, they would glance at us and it was unnerving. What did they want?

"I don't know about you," I whispered while leaning forward, "but I'd say they're up to something. And I don't know what, but I think it's bad. We have to keep it low from now on. Focus on the things we need to learn. The things that we're good at… leave them for the individual training session."

Hadrian nodded slowly and looked at the Careers once more. They were looking at us again, grinning and smirking. My eyes found Cato's icy blue ones, but I didn't want to give him the satisfaction of looking away. I narrowed my eyes, determined to win the glaring competition, but the bell rang again, meaning lunch time was over. I stood up and grabbed my plate, putting it down on the counter of the cooks and was determined to ignore him for the rest of that day.

Hadrian and I spent learning to set traps, making fires, identifying edible and non-edible plants and keeping low-profile.

We were busy with setting a trap to catch other tributes when I suddenly caught sight of the camouflaging table.

The boy from 12, Peeta, was at that station working on camouflaging his arm. Usually, my attention would be caught by the tributes wielding a broad knife our sword without an effort, but this was something I'd never seen before. I nudged Hadrian in the side.

"Look at that", I told him and pointed to Peeta.

He followed my gaze and cocked an eyebrow, but said nothing and went back to tying a knot. I sighed and rolled my eyes. "I think I'm going to take a look", I said and walked away.

"Wait, Marina", I heard him say, but I ignored him.

"That's really good", I said as I stood in front of the table where he was doing his job. His head shot up and his eyes found mine. His mouth hung a little open and I think he just didn't really expect anyone to see him do this.

I guess he wanted to keep it low-profile as well.

I ignored his confused look and pointed at his arm. "Is it a tree?"

He looked at his arm, then back to me. "Oh, uh," he said, "yeah. It's a tree. Not really good, I know, but-"

"Nonsense," I interrupted. "It's really good."

He nodded in thanks and I shifted my weight. Well, this was awkward…

"Uh, my name is-"

"Marina, I know," he interrupted. "I saw your Reaping."

I nodded and swallowed. Duh. "Oh, of course. Then it won't be weird to say I already know your name too." I let out an awkward chuckle after that and quickly cleared my throat.

Peeta laughed a bit. "No, that's not weird at all."

I smiled and pointed to his arm. "So, where did you learn-"

"Peeta?"

I turned around to see Peeta's district partner a little behind me. Her eyes were flickering back and forth between me and him with a hard look on her face.

"Katniss," Peeta greeted with a genuine smile and straightened up, then gestured to me. "This is Marina, from District 4."

She looked at me, giving me a look once over, wary as her grey eyes set on mine.

"I know", she said, a little cold towards me. I frowned and now _I_ was looking back and forth between the two tributes. Was there… something going on between these two or so?

"Uh, hi," I said and forced myself to smile, "I was, uh, just watching your partner's camouflaging. He's really good at it."

As I studied her face, I saw the tiniest hint of a smile. "I know," she said again, but a little nicer this time and looked at Peeta's arm. "A tree?"

He nodded again with a smile. "Yeah. Look", he said and walked to the tree trunk sample behind him, then put his arm against it. It just… disappeared almost entirely, perfectly camouflaged.

"Wow," I said with a parted mouth in surprise. "That's awesome."

I felt Katniss' gaze at me and glanced at her briefly. She didn't trust me. Katniss didn't trust me at all.

She turned back to Peeta. "Where did you learn that?" she asked him.

"I decorated the cakes in the bakery", he replied.

She nodded with an 'oh'. I cocked my head. "You work in a bakery?" I asked curiously.

"Yeah, I did. I mean, I do," he replied and shook his head, then turned to Katniss. "I'm going to wash this stuff off. I'll see you later." He then turned to me. "Bye, Marina."

"Bye," I replied kindly, then looked at Katniss again. "I'm just, uh… yeah, I'm gonna go."

She just nodded. Damn, that girl freaked me out. Not like those big guys, but still… she had this cold look on her face, as if she didn't have any empathy. Well, of course she had empathy, but it was hard to see what she felt and thought. She wore a constant mask.

She didn't like me and I decided that I didn't like her. Peeta was nice though.

I walked back to Hadrian, continuing with what I had been doing without saying a word.

The rest of the day, we stayed at the survival skills. I would watch the other tributes at the stations, especially the Careers. How they demolded the dummies, how Peeta could camouflage himself and how Katniss was perfectly able to set traps.

And as I failed to tie the knots or identify a plant, I kept wondering: how the hell was I going to survive this?

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 **Thanks for reading and please review!**

 **See ya next time :)**


	5. Chapter V

**CHAPTER V**

 **Hi everyone! So this time it took a little longer, sorry. It was really busy with school starting again, etc. etc.**

 **Thank you** _Vex_ **for your kind review! Reviews really mean a lot to me (hint hint).**

 **Anyways, here it is: chapter 5! Lots of Cato/Marina convos here, but that doesn't mean it's a good thing... The next chapter will be published in a few days :)**

 **Enjoy!**

 **DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE HUNGER GAMES AND ITS CHARACTERS. I ONLY OWN MY OCs AND THE NEW PLOT IDEA.**

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"It's not a good thing that the Careers have been watching you two," Finnick said during breakfast the next day, pointing with his fork at us. "You're right, they are up to something. Maybe they want you in their little pack."

I raised an eyebrow and looked at him incredulously. "You think so?"

"They could," Mags agreed calmly. "You both have skills with weapons and know the basic skills of survival already. You could be great use to them."

"I don't want to be 'great use' to them," I said, crossing my arms in front of my chest, though I couldn't help to feel sort of flattered by the fact that I would be good enough to be a Career. "I don't want to be in their stupid pack."

"And what if it makes sure you'll live just a little longer?"

I turned to Hadrian with wide eyes. "You want to be in their pack?" I asked surprised. "But yesterday you said we shouldn't be near them. What changed your mind?"

He shrugged. "I don't know," he said honestly. "I thought about it this whole night… If it meant that you and I lived longer…"

"They kill people," I interrupted with a frown. "And not just for survival- for sport. For fun. Would you do that?"

Hadrian said nothing, making me frown even more. Would he?

I turned to Finnick again as he let out a dramatic sigh. "Even though I wouldn't recommend it to you, it'd be your own choice, Hadrian," he said much to my surprise. Weren't he and Mags the persons to get these stupid thoughts out of his head? "District 4 is seen as a Career district, so it's not a surprise they're setting their eyes on you."

Once training started, I wasn't too keen to start at the fighting stations again. Hadrian went for the bow, while I started with the running course again and broke my record. After that, I decided to practice the tree climbing. I'd never climbed a tree before, since the trees close to my home were mostly palm trees.

It was a lot harder than I had expected; it took me five to ten minutes to reach the top. But once I was there, I started observing everyone. The Careers were at the weapon stations, as usual, and Hadrian was still at the bow and arrows station, but accompanied by the girl from 1. I rolled my eyes. Again? I had to ask him about her tonight; this was just getting weird.

"Are there many trees in District 4?"

I almost fell down the tree and I turned my head to see the girl from District 11 crouched a little further from me. Rue. "Jesus", I gasped and steadied myself.

She giggled. "Sorry," she said, "I didn't want to startle you."

I smiled a bit and relaxed more. "It's okay… Rue, right?" I asked and she nodded. "As for your answer: yes, there are, but at the beach mostly palm trees. Some climb them to get the coconuts, but I had never climbed these kinds of trees before."

She cocked her head. "I've never seen a real palm tree before," she said softly. "Back home, we have all sorts of trees, but not palm trees."

I swung my right leg to the other side of the branch to face Rue. "That's cool," I said truthfully. "That means you've seen more different trees than I have."

She smiled and suddenly moved from her tree to the one I was in. It was like she was flying instead of hopping and jumping. I looked at her with wide eyes and I caught her grin at my awe.

"I take it you climb trees a lot back home, am I right?" I asked with a surprised laugh.

She nodded. "I do," she said. "But that's the only thing I can really do here. Maybe identify some plants or something."

I chewed on my lip. She knew she wouldn't survive the Games. It broke my heart in two as I pictured her in them, everyone around her trying to kill each other in the Bloodbath. I shook my head. This kid was fast, I had just seen it. If she was smart- and she really looked smart, she'd find a tree right away. If there would be any.

"Have you seen yourself?" I said with a genuine grin. "They'll never be able to catch you if you move from tree to tree like that. You looked like you were flying!"

She laughed. "If there are any trees, I could stand a chance maybe."

"There have to be trees," I pointed out. "Last year they had no trees in the arena, meaning no wood, and everyone just died from the cold because they couldn't make a fire. The Capitol found it the most boring Hunger Games ever. There will be trees, I'm sure of it."

She smiled and looked out over the gymnasium at the other tributes. "Your partner looks pretty close with the Careers", she noticed.

I followed her gaze. Hadrian wasn't just talking with the girl from 1 anymore, but also with her partner. I frowned and groaned, earning a chuckle from Rue.

"I honestly don't know what he's doing," I said, still looking at him. "I wonder if even _he_ knows what he's doing. They're dangerous."

"I know," she replied and as I looked at her, I saw her shiver. "They asked Thresh to join them."

I frowned. "They did?"

"Yes," she nodded, "but he said no."

"Good," I said, then pushed my lips into a thin line. "But if they asked Hadrian, I honestly wouldn't know what to do. I mean, we are getting pretty close and I want to protect him, just like he wants to protect me. Should I…"

She smiled sadly. "They are strong," she said, "you'd have more chance to survive longer. But I can't really picture you killing someone as ruthlessly as they do. You're too nice for that."

After talking a little more and observing, I went down the tree again, sending another smile to Rue. The kid was cute, funny and extremely intelligent. I hated the fact that she was here. She was too young.

I went to the knives station and began practicing the twin blades once more, ignoring Hadrian's gaze. I still didn't understand him. After yesterday and everything that Finnick and Mags had said, he still wanted to join the Careers! Why? They were the most dangerous people here!

Without being conscious of it, I took my anger out during training with the blades, which was apparently a good thing. Using the knives became easier and easier and I noticed that the hand-to-hand part was also getting better.

The trainer gave me tips as we fought and I finally beat him after one hour and a half. Then, just for fun and to look cool, I asked him to learn me how to twirl the blades in my hands. He looked behind me and said yes, seeing nobody in line.

After about another hour, I was finally able to twirl them in my hands before combat. Proudly, I left the station and walked over to a small table with cups of water on them. All the 24 cups had their district number on them and an F or M.

I took large gulps of the water and looked around again. Tomorrow after lunch, I would have my individual training session. I wanted to practice for that to be honest, just to get a feel on the spears and throwing knives here, but kept Finnick's advice in mind. No showing off of what I was really good at. I figured I wouldn't train with the twin blades tomorrow, since I had gotten the hang of it quite well.

I put the cup back on the table and turned around to walk to Hadrian, but bumped into someone. I groaned inwardly, because I already knew who it was.

"You really do want to walk into a knife, don't you?" the cold voice of the huge blond boy said.

I looked up at him, again towering over me, seeing the smirk on his face. I took a step back and bit my lip. He was just way to close.

"You just shouldn't sneak up on me like that", I retorted.

He chuckled humorlessly. "Maybe I just wanted to grab some water", he said.

I rolled my eyes and brushed past him, but before I could really walk away he grabbed me by my arm.

"I'd watch out, Four," he almost whispered in my ear, "because if you walk into me in the arena like that, I won't have a knife but a I _will_ have a sword. And I _will_ kill you."

I yanked my arm away, giving him a disgusted look, but he only chuckled. I figured he must've seen the fear in my eyes.

Well, he just threatened to kill me. Okay, I knew everyone would probably kill me if they had the chance, seeing it was 'kill or be killed', but he had said it out loud. It was only logical that I was afraid. Who wouldn't be?

I walked away, the hair on the back of the neck standing straight up. I really, really shouldn't bump into him again.

Hadrian was at the knife throwing station, but he didn't really got the hang of it. He had said he was good with a sword, which he probably saved for the individual training session, but knives were more difficult for him.

He was at the station with the girl from 2, and for a second I hesitated whether or not to approach my district partner. I didn't want them to notice me, but on the other hand, they already had since yesterday.

I sighed and walked towards Hadrian, seeing him struggle with it while Two threw one bulls-eye.

Hey," I greeted Hadrian and stood next to him, looking at the target. His knife hadn't even stuck into the target. "Not going so well, huh?"

He shook his head with a sigh. "No, I suck at it", he said, walking to the rack to put the remaining knife back.

I stopped him. "Here, I'll teach you," I said, even though I knew I shouldn't show my skill. "First of all, why the hell didn't you ask the trainer for the basics? You're holding the knife wrong."

He shrugged. "How could you hold a knife in the wrong way?"

I heard a snicker and glanced at Two, who was pretending not to listen as she threw another knife. I couldn't help but grin.

The next twenty minutes until lunch, I threw knives to show him the movements and explained Hadrian the basics. He wasn't really patient though, thinking throwing knives was an easy thing to do.

As I eventually let out an exasperated sigh, Two turned to Hadrian. "You're way too tensed," she said annoyed and I raised my eyebrows at her, surprised. "Relax your throwing arm and just let it go already. Or just go to another station. Your lack of skill fucking annoys me."

I snorted but bit my lips and raised my hands in mercy as Hadrian turned to me angrily. He sighed as well and tried again, this time relaxing his arm as Clove told him to. He hit the target in the thigh.

"Look at that," I said with a smirk. "Who knew an insult would improve you?" Out of the corner of my eye I saw the girl from 2 smirking.

After five minutes or so, the bell rang for lunch. Not wanting to be the last to arrive again, we went to the lunch room right away.

We were talking a bit about the knife-throwing and plucking at out bread when suddenly four people went to sit at our table. I looked up with a frown to see the whole pack of Careers sit down as if it was the most normal thing to do. As if they were our friends.

I stiffened and exchanged glances with Hadrian, who also seemed surprised. I pursed my lips and put the bread of District 11 down on my plate without looking away from the boy from 2, who sat next to Hadrian across me.

I cleared my throat. "Can we help you?" I asked as casually as possible, but failing terribly.

"Drop the act, Four," the girl from 1 said from next to me. "We know you two want to-"

"Glimmer, shut up," the boy from 2 snarled to her diagonally across from me, silencing her with a dark look on his face, then turned to us and pointed at each of the Careers. "Marvel and Glimmer, District 1, Clove and me, Cato, District 2. You are joining us."

The entire canteen was silent and I felt every pair of eyes watching our table with interest. My eyes darted to the table where Rue and Thresh were seated and I saw the girl shake her head at me.

"W- What?" I asked, genuinely surprised as I turned back to Cato.

"You heard him," Clove said with a grin from my other side. "We have seen you two. You are good at stuff. You will join us."

I snorted and turned to Cato, thinking this was some sort of joke, but saw his serious and hard face. My brows furrowed in an angry frown. "Excuse me, but I'm not some kind of puppy that gets ordered around," I said angrily. "So, no I'm not going to-"

"I will join you."

I turned to Hadrian in front of me, my mouth hanging open. What… did he just..?

"Hadrian," I hissed furiously, "what the fuck are you doing?!"

"Now, Four," Marvel said with a smirk, "let your partner speak for himself, will you?"

I sneered at him and looked back at Hadrian. He looked back at me, stuck between two sides. I knew he wanted to survive, but _this_ was not the way to do it!

"I'll join you", he said again, more determined this time, and I clenched my hands into a fist under the table, feeling my nails dig into the palm of my hand. The four Careers smirked, and Clove turned to me.

"Still a no for you, Four?" she asked mock-kindly, "Or do you want to be the first we kill?"

I shifted uncomfortably on my seat and locked my eyes with Hadrian. The look on Hadrian's face was a begging one. His eyes pleaded me to come with him. I couldn't abandon him, could I? I knew that he could take care of himself, but he had become my brother in these few short days. Would I survive the first day in the arena if I didn't join them? They had just practically threatened to kill me first.

Before I knew it, I said the words I knew I would regret the most. Because my whole reputation towards Rue and Peeta and Katniss would be ruined. Because I knew it was dangerous as hell. Because I knew I had done the most stupid thing I could possibly do.

"Fine."

Cato leaned back and placed his hands behind his head, a satisfied smirk on his face.

Finnick was going to kill me.

That afternoon we didn't spend at the survival station. Hadrian practically forced me to stay with them at the fighting stations. I felt out of place with these aggressive people and found myself often looking at the station where Rue was, or Peeta and Katniss. I noticed Rue had started following the latter two a bit. Sometimes, my eyes found Peeta's, but he often looked away.

Somehow, it felt like I had betrayed the three I had talked to. I knew I seemed nice towards them, but now that I had joined the pack, I was marked as a trained killer.

I took my anger out on training again with the twin blades, but now with the dummies. I knew I had promised myself earlier to leave them for my individual session, but I had to do something to let out my anger.

Hadrian practiced some more with knife throwing, now Clove helping him. I wanted to yell at my partner for being so stupid, but figured it would be best to leave it for tonight.

I was busy beheading a dummy when I suddenly heard someone shouting.

It was Cato, picking a fight with another tribute. He was yelling that he had taken his knife, scaring the poor kid- who was probably not even 15 years old. I looked at the boy. He had dark hair and tanned skin, and I gasped. He looked almost exactly like Byron. My eyes darted between the tributes from 2 and 6, and before I knew it was running towards the two.

"Two!" I yelled as I went to stand between them. "Get away from him!"

"Get out of my way, Four!" he growled at me, furious, and took a step towards me, threatening.

I stepped forward as well, something that he probably hadn't expected. "Chill. Out," I said slowly and lowly. "He didn't take your knife. Next time, pick someone of your own size."

He growled at me again and pointed a finger to the boy from 6. "I'm gonna kill you first in the arena, you remember that."

He turned around and stomped away and I couldn't help but roll my eyes. I turned to the boy, feeling my heart sink as I almost saw Byron. How hadn't I realized it before?

"You okay?" I asked him, studying his face. He looked unsettled, a bit awkward maybe.

He nodded, then quickly made his way to another station. I watched him go with a frown. Then I realized the look on his face wasn't awkward. He had been scared. The boy had been _scared_ of me.

Because I was with the Careers.

I looked around, seeing everyone quickly look away. Peeta swallowed and went back with tying his knots with Katniss. Then I spotted Rue on top of the climbing rack. The knife in her hand. A cheeky grin on her face. She eyed me and when I felt a smirk tugging up my lips as well, hers got even more wider.

"You are the most stupid person I have ever known, Hadrian!" I yelled the exact moment we stepped inside the elevator and the doors slid shut. "Side with the most fucking dangerous people here? ARE YOU MAD?!"

"Shut up, Marina!" Hadrian shouted. "I did you a favor! They were going to kill you otherwise! I saw the way they looked at you. One moment with interest and approval, then as if you were a meal! You are a threat to them and Finnick had told you himself. They want to eliminate threats unless they can use them!"

"And as I said: I don't want them to use me!" I shot back in anger. The doors opened and I barged out of the elevator into the living space of our temporary home. "You practically FORCED me to join them too!"

Finnick appeared with a happy smile on his face. "Hey, guys," he said, "how was your training?"

I cried out in frustration and went straight to my room. There, I let myself fall onto my bed. I didn't cry. There was no reason to cry. I was just angry. At Hadrian, at Cato, Glimmer, Clove and Marvel. At the others for not understanding the dilemma I was in. I was angry at the Capitol for throwing me into the Games. It appeared only Rue understood.

I sat up with a sigh, looking at the sea projected on the wall. Home. I couldn't miss it more at the moment.

Did Eridan choose to join the Careers? The tributes from Districts 1 and 2 betrayed him the moment he had stepped foot in the Arena. That was one of the reasons why I didn't want to be part of that stupid pack. They weren't trustworthy? Why would Hadrian think this year was going to be different. The tributes might change every year, but how they acted never changed.

I stayed in my room for an hour, then went outside again. Dinner was laid out on the table already. I said nothing as I sat down, ignoring Calla's frown.

"Is it true that there is a roof with plants here?" I asked eventually. I had heard some people talk about it, and couldn't help but feel curious.

Finnick nodded.

"Can't people, like, you know, jump off the building or something?"

"No," he said and shook his head. "They can't; there's an electro-magnetic force field around in. You'd be thrown right back if you tried."

I huffed. "So caring for our safety", I said sarcastically.

After dinner, I went straight to the elevator and clicked on the highest floor. As I stepped out of the elevator, I found myself in a dome-shaped room. The doors of the room opened right when I stood in front of it and the fresh air and wind hit me in the face.

I walked outside and let out a sigh. Even though it was already dark and there weren't many lights, the roof was beautiful. There were no trees, but there were green bushes and colorful flowers along the paths. I wandered around, eventually coming closer to the edge of the roof.

Letting curiosity get the better of myself, I reached out with my hand over the fence. Suddenly I felt something sting my hand and I yanked it back. I looked in front of me, seeing a blue color appear and disappear again where I touched the force field.

"Weird", I said aloud.

"Not trying to escape, are you, Four?" someone suddenly said behind me and I immediately recognized the voice.

I turned around to see Cato stand behind me, with a grin on his face as always.

"Well that's not so courageous, is it?" he continued as he stepped forward.

"What are you doing here, Two?" I snapped and crossed my arms, telling myself not to back away.

"Why do you wanna know?"

I rolled my eyes and stepped closer to him with narrowed eyes. "Because I don't really think I like you, Two," I said, even though I knew it was another mistake I had just made, "and somehow, I think you were just gonna stand behind me so I would bump into you again."

He chuckled darkly crossed his arms as well, smirking challengingly. "Do you think I care that you don't like me?"

"Do you think I even care to consider that, Two?"

He stepped closer, now leaving only a few centimeters between us. He towered over me again as his lips curled into a cold snarl. "You see, Four," he said angrily, "I think you're acting a little ungrateful. I offered you a place with us, which practically means you'll survive the Games longer. So why so sassy and bitchy? You know, we just practically saved you from an early death in the Bloodbath. But you know what, if you want to leave the pack- be my guest." He chuckled again. "I just can't guarantee you a quick death."

I opened my mouth to retort, because quite frankly, I had my reasons to be 'ungrateful', but he cut me off.

"Just so you know," he continued, "if I have any reason to not trust you, I will kill you."

"I can easily outrun you," I said, surprised at how confident I sounded. "I'm way faster than you are."

"You can't run forever, honey," he said with another smirk. "You're like a cheetah: you can run for twenty seconds as fast as you can, but then you slow down because you're too tired. The only difference is that I am the predator- and you are my prey."

"Wow, the Career speaks in metaphors", I said, rolling my eyes, but before I knew it I was pushed against the wall that served as a fence around the roof. My upper body barely touched the force field and if it did, we would both be thrown back.

He was holding both hands around my neck and my instinct told me to gasp for air, but I realized he wasn't putting pressure on it. Still, I felt my heart racing rapidly and the look on his face was so dark I wanted nothing but to close my eyes.

"Yeah, not so cheeky now, are you?" The way he said it was enough for me to gather up my strengths again and push him away from me.

"Get away from me, asshole!" I shouted and quickly ran past him, back to the dome-shaped room where the elevator was.

"You can run all you want, Four," I heard him call behind me. "But when it comes down to it in the Arena, I will catch you, and I won't hesitate to kill you!"

I tried to ignore him and pushed on the button for the elevator several times. "Come on, come on, come on!" I whispered in panic. Finally the elevator doors slid open and in there were Katniss and Peeta.

They glanced at me oddly as they saw me panicking, but I ignored them too and shot inside of the elevator. The two quickly got out, but Peeta looked at me with worry.

"Marina, are you okay?" he asked, but the doors shut before I could answer.

I closed my eyes and leaned back against the elevator wall. _Breath in, breath out. Breath in, breath out._

I wanted to die just right now – it'd be better than his sword going straight through my chest.

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	6. Chapter VI

**CHAPTER VI**

 **Hey there! Sorry that it took so long to update... I participated in a writing challenge last week so that meant writing everyday, though I worked on my own new novel! I even didn't seem to be able to just update it, sorry!**

 **Anyways, here it is, a new chapter. The next one will be updated soon, so keep an eye out and make sure to hit the 'follow' button! And please...**

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During breakfast I ate my food quietly, ignoring the worried glances from both the mentors and Hadrian. The night before I had slept fitfully, being tortured my nightmares showing all the different way Cato could kill me.

Me being chased by him for an awful long time, then tripping and being cut into pieces by him.

Me taking a swim in the lake but then being pulled under water, where he choked me to death.

Me walking through the woods but getting stuck in a trap and next thing he drives a spear through my chest.

I think I woke up screaming five times. Strangely- and luckily, nobody seemed to have heard.

"Okay, let's cut the bullshit," Finnick suddenly said, making me startle and look up. "Marina, what's wrong?"

I shrug, trying to look nonchalant as I took a bite of my baked egg. "Nothing. Why?"

"Oh, come on," he almost whined. "I know women. If they say nothing's wrong, something is definitely wrong."

I stopped eating and sighed. "It's just…" I bit the inside of my lip. "That boy from 2 cornered me yesterday evening."

Finnick frowned, Hadrian's eyes widened a bit and Mags gestured me to go on. I continued, talking faster than I usually did. "I was on the roof and he was there too and basically he said that he would kill me if he didn't trust me. Oh, and he also almost choked me."

I sighed and looked at my plate.

"Well, this," Finnick started, "is a funny twist…"

Fifteen minutes later, I stepped inside the elevator with Hadrian. I was still confused at how Finnick made a connection between threatening and… _this_.

"Are you okay?"

I looked up at Hadrian, he was watching me intently with a worried face. I nodded. "Yeah fine, just wished that these pants wouldn't be so tight."

Hadrian snorted. "I didn't know they had ten more pants in these closets. Was pretty surprised when Calla mentioned it," he said. "But they look good on you." He had a smirk on his face and I scowled at him. Of course, he was just joking and I would've laughed if it weren't for the reason for wearing these stupid pants.

"Stop that," I said sternly, then sighed. "So, any tips on how could challenge the big, dangerous, monstrous, unpathetic boy? Like, should I do some squads? These pants certainly make my butt two times b-"

The doors opened, but three floors to early. My breath got stuck in my throat as Clove and Cato walked in the elevator.

Hadrian snorted in order to not start laughing, but then did that anyways. My district partner received odd glances of the tributes from 2, but I couldn't help laughing along with him. My god, if they'd known what I had said just seconds ago…

"I don't think you should do squads, Marina", Hadrian said and I elbowed him in his arm, giving him a warning look. He yelped and rubbed his arm, but still grinned. I shook my head and caught Cato's eyes. He was looking at my new sport outfit that Calla had found in my closet and I knew right away that it did its job. The tight tank top, the tight shorts that made my legs look longer… I felt extremely self-conscious and did my best not to look away.

So I cocked an eyebrow and crossed my arms in front of my chest, waiting for him to look back at my eyes.

"No, I think you should, Four", he said when he did, with the usual smirk on his face. I rolled my eyes and turned away, waiting to get out of the damn elevator. His ego was so big it was suffocating me.

As training began, I decided to distance myself from both Cato and Hadrian. Because at the moment, where Hadrian was, was Glimmer and I hated her. And well, avoiding Cato had an obvious reason of course. Instead, I found myself at the station for knife throwing, with his district partner Clove. The girl intimated me, but on the other hand she was just downright funny. Blunt and honest and sarcastic.

I aimed with my knife and went to throw when suddenly a loud and girly giggle startled me. The knife ended up in the arm instead of the heart where I aimed at and I looked around to see who was guilty, though I already knew.

Glimmer was almost hanging on my district partner, laughing at his jokes, admiring his muscles and looking at him as if he was a God. I rolled my eyes, but continued watching them, wanting to see Hadrian's reaction.

He didn't seem to be bothered by it and kept talking with Marvel, who in turn _did_ seem to be annoyed by his district partner.

Clove came to stand by my side, wrinkling her nose in disgust. "Glimmer's drooling all over your partner, Four," she stated and turned to me with a grin as she saw the frown on my face. "Oh, someone looks jealous..."

I looked at her with a raised eyebrow and chuckled. "Jealous? No, not at all. Hadrian feels like a brother to me," I replied honestly. "I just don't like Glimmer."

Clove studied my face closely and I frowned a bit. I could see what she was thinking about. Like, what was going through my head? Who was I really?

And I asked the same questions in my mind to her as well.

"It seems to me that you don't like any of us", she retorted finally as she folded her arms across her chest.

I snorted and now fully turned to her. "That's not true," I said. "I like Hadrian. And you're not so bad either."

She smirked and turned back to her target, grabbing another knife. "Same goes for you, Four," she replied and threw a knife bulls-eye. "How come you're so good at this? You don't train in your district right?"

I shook my head as I continued training again. "No, we don't train," I said, "but my father taught me when I was young. Now I know what for."

She nodded and I turned to her again. "You do train in District 2, don't you?" I asked curiously.

"Kids already start at 8 years old."

My eyes widened a bit in surprise. 8 years old and already being trained for the Games! "Wow," I said, "so… have you known your partner before the Reaping?"

"Cato and I were… acquainted before this," she said with a grin. "The fact that I'm small doesn't say anything about my skills. Let's say… I let him realize that."

I couldn't help but laugh at that. "Oh, I'm sure", I said and went back to practice.

We had another two hours until lunch and I decided to practice with the twin blades once more. This time, I finally made use of the space behind the regular station. This space was meant for those who wanted to practice their skills without the constant presence of the other tributes- perfect for me. Normally, there'd always be a tribute in the room, but this time it was completely empty, save for a few dummies.

The glass doors slid shut behind me and I walked to the platform where the dummies stood, grabbed a set of twin blades and began practicing some blows. It still kind of amazed me how quick I'd gotten the hang of this, the blades feeling as if it was another part of my body, like an elongation of both my arms.

I got out of focus when I heard the doors slide open. Without looking around, I put the blades back and inspected the dummies. I knew who was approaching me. In just three days I'd gotten to know the heavy footsteps and the long strides of a certain person.

Before I knew it, I was pushed against the wall. Again. I gasped in surprise, even though I knew I could've expected it, as I felt strong arms holding me.

"I don't understand you, Four," a low voice said. "You said you didn't want to be in the pack, didn't like me and said you could easily escape from us. So why do you stay with us?"

"Why do you care?" I hissed.

"I care because it's my pack. And I don't trust you."

He was so close that I could feel his breath on my face. He had his hand behind my neck, but I knew it wasn't intimacy; he had his thumb on my pulse point. My heart beat quickened and I felt my cheeks burn red. Cato, watching my face closely, chuckled and pushed a little harder on the pulse point, making it very hard to for me to not wince.

"I think you've made your point," I said and swallowed the lump in my throat away. "And maybe I don't trust you either."

"You shouldn't," he said harshly. "Because if you even touch the others, you'll be dealing with me."

I regained my composure and lifted my chin, then snorted. "Oh, so you're the alpha dog?" I asked him with a cocked eyebrow. "What do the others think about that, huh? What makes you think they won't stab you in the back to kill you?" Well, I surely shouldn't have said that, because suddenly, his arm moved over my throat and this time, unlike yesterday evening, he added pressure to it. My eyes widened and I tried to push his arm away, but he was too strong.

"I'm gonna fucking kill you, Four," he growled, face so close to mine that I could feel his breath on my skin. "You're gonna be _my_ kill. I'm gonna leave you for the Finale, giving you hope that you might survive, and then I'm gonna give you a slow, painful death for whole Panem and your stupid family to see."

The pressure of his arm on my throat increased and I felt how the air was unable to go to my lungs. "Cato!" I gasped in panic, eyes closed in fear. He was going to kill me!

I felt him loosen his grip and I breathed heavily, hands protectively flying back to my throat as I opened my eyes.

His hard and dark glare had disappeared and it was like he suddenly didn't know what to do. I saw something flash across his face: surprise, confusion and something else as he realized I had said his name instead of 'Two'.

He stepped back, and the fear in my own eyes was replaced by anger. "What the hell, Cato?" I said angrily. "You said you didn't understand me, well, I don't understand you! First, you practically force me to join your pack, then you threaten to kill me, but almost do so before the Games have even started!" I wanted to say more, but I couldn't and had to resist the urge to growl in frustration.

I realized I had stepped closer to him again, so I took a step back to the wall. "Just go, will you?" I said, not liking the way my pleading voice sounded at all. "Just go and spend your time doing something useful. Don't you have a dummy to decapitate or something?"

But he didn't listen. Instead, he walked closer to me, but not like before. Again he pushed me against the wall, and it wasn't fear that was succumbing me now, but confusion. Because it was… gentler compared to before.

He looked at me with a weird look on his face and even though I was pretty good at reading people, I couldn't make out this look. I looked up at him with wide eyes from curiosity.

"Why do you do that every time?" I found myself asking and his eyebrows furrowed, clearly taken aback by the sudden question. It was a stupid question and I immediately regretted asking it.

"What?" he asked confused.

"Push me against the wall," I replied with a frown, wondering why I wasn't pushing him away like I'd normally do. "Why do you do that?"

"What kind of question is that?" he asked with more confusion.

"I'd say a just question," I said and folded my arms. "If it weren't for the Games, people could think of you as a perv."

This obviously did the job and let me go and he was a few steps away from me again. The icy, cold and harsh look had returned and it sent shivers down my spine as I saw how he could change from composure so quickly.

"Watch you back, Marina", was the only thing he said before he turned around and walked away, leaving me behind, frozen.

Half an hour later, I had returned back to the common space and went to the stations for setting traps. I was busy with setting a trap to catch smaller animals like rabbits or so when someone suddenly went to stand beside me.

I jolted and dropped the small branch in my hand and turned to look at the person who had made me jump.

It was the girl with the red hair from District 5, Dara if I recall correctly, and she was frowning at me as if I was a puzzle that was impossible to be solved.

"Now why is a Career all by herself at the survival skills, while she is perfectly able to wield a weapon?" she asked with a tilted head, studying my face closely.

I looked away. This was the question that probably everyone wanted to ask, even the Game Makers would be interested in my answer.

Unwillingly, my eyes found Cato standing at the swords station. As if he knew I was watching him, his eyes caught mine. For a moment, his eyes darted back and forth between the Dara and me in confusion, then he looked at me again and smirked with a cocked eyebrow. Like what had happened in the private training space never happened.

I looked away, feeling the pressure on my throat again just like before, but also how my face flushed red at the same time.

"Hmm," she mumbled thoughtfully and I turned to her, "I think I already understand. Actually, I think I was right all along."

I frowned. "What do you mean?" I asked confused.

"Have you noticed me the past few days?"

What kind of random question was that? "Once to be honest." I replied nonetheless.

She seemed pleased with the answer and I could tell that she had done her best to not get noticed. "Well, I have noticed you. In fact, I have noticed everyone, including that boy from 2."

"So what?" I said a little irritated. "You've been observing? Good for you."

"Offensive much?" she said with raised eyebrows and a chuckle. "It means that I have seen the way he looks at you."

My brows furrowed in a frown again and now I turned myself to her fully. "What do you mean with 'the way he looks at me'? Like he wants me dead?"

She cocked her head and lay her finger against her chin in thought. "No…" she said, "it's something else. Even Hadrian has seen the looks. Didn't like the way Two was staring at you when you were killing the dummies with your blades. He made a very clear point to leave you alone."

My eyebrows shot up. "Wait. Cato looked at me in a…" I didn't finish the sentence, but Dara understood that I meant something else than hateful or mean.

"With lust", Dara said with a dramatic 't' and chuckled at my reaction. I let out a bark of laughter. Lust? Cato looked at me with lust? "No," I dismissed and waved with my hand. "No, you're just imagining things, Five."

She shrugged. "If you want to believe that, then sure, I'm imagining things", she said.

"Why are you doing this?" I asked confused.

"Doing what?"

"I don't know," I replied with a shrug. "Why are you here with me while everyone else seems to be afraid of me?"

She shrugged again and picked up the branch I dropped earlier. "Because I'm not afraid of you," she said as she began working on my trap. "And I know that I'm probably not the first one to say that you're not like them."

"How?"

"Observing." she answered with a sly smile, then finished the trap and walked away. "I think I'll see you around some time, Marina."

The confused frown stayed on my face until the lunch bell rang. I cleaned up the mess I had made on the table where I was working and smiled at Hadrian as he walked over to me.

"Hey," I said. "Ready for the training session?"

He shrugged. "I hope so, you?"

I shrugged as well. "I think so," I replied, "but I'm still a bit nervous."

"Yeah, me too," he said and we started walking to the lunch room. "But, uh, you talked with Foxface?"

"Foxface?" I repeated confused.

He nodded. "That redhead."

"Oh," I said and glanced at the girl who was walking in front of me. "Why do you call her Foxface? Her name is Dara."

"She looks sly and cunning, like a fox," he replied. "which is why I don't trust her, you shouldn't talk to her."

"Well, I don't trust the Careers and I don't tell you to stay away from them anymore, do I?" I shot back. Hadrian frowned at me and I sighed.

"What happened?" he asked as he stopped walking and held me back. "Something happened between you and Cato. What happened?"

I looked away and bit on the inside of my cheek. "Nothing."

"Bullshit."

I sighed and shook my head. "Really, Hadrian," I said, "it's nothing. He's just annoying me."

Hadrian's eyes were suddenly fixed on my neck and he started frowning. "What's this?" he asked as he brought his hand to the side of my neck. I frowned as well and winced a bit as he touched it. It was probably a bruise from the confrontation from before, and Hadrian probably realized this as well, because his jaws clenched and looked at the door to the lunch room.

"I'm gonna kill that son of a bitch", he said through gritted teeth and started to storm away.

"Hadrian, chill out," I said and grabbed him by his arm. "God, you sound like my best friend's older brother after she told him some guy lied to her."

My district partner sighed and gave me a worried look. "Just… be careful with him okay? I don't want you to get hurt."

I couldn't help but smile at that and suddenly started to hate the fact that he was here. He deserved so much better than this- and I didn't want him to die. "Come," I said, "let's have some lunch. And don't start about it, please."

The tension in the air was so thick that you wouldn't even be able to cut it with a knife. I was still seated with the Careers, they hadn't kicked me out or something, but no one was talking. Occasionally, my eyes would cross Cato's, but I didn't glare at him like I used to. I just looked away, pretending I was watching everyone and not just him.

Dara's words would repeat themselves in my mind. _Lust_. She had to be crazy to think that. Cato? Lusty towards me? Funny joke. Though Finnick's joke about our eye contact after the Tribute Parade also made it clear that it had been something else than hatred at the very beginning.

Dara seemed smart. She was reserved, preferred to watch the scenery unfold before doing anything with it. She knew what was happening around her, unlike me who was right in it. Maybe, just maybe, she and Finnick were right.

When most of us were done with our lunch, the first person was being called. Of course, District 1 was first: the female, then the male. Glimmer stood up and made her way to the training hall after giving us a grin that said: 'I'm gonna show 'em what I got, watch me'.

As Marvel stood up when his name was called, Cato leaned back and looked at me with a smirk. "So, Four," he said to me, "do you think you can beat me?"

"I think you might be surprised, Two," I said with a grin as well. I wasn't going to let him bully me anymore. "I've got more in store than you think."

"Oh, I'm sure of that", he replied, but I didn't miss the hint of sarcasm in his voice.

I turned my head away from him and looked around the lunch room. Everyone was tensed. My gaze fell on Rue. I wondered what she was going to do. Hopefully the Game Makers would be generous towards her, giving her a good grade.

Grade. It was like a test for school. I shook my head. What a sick world I lived in.

I looked at Katniss and Peeta, the latter was bouncing his feet up and down. He was nervous and I knew Katniss was as well; she just didn't show it. I still couldn't put my finger on those two. I had noticed that during the lunches they were talking to each other in a friendly way, but it seemed a little forced, as if they wanted to show everyone they really were friends. Something was off.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Clove stand up and I sent her a grin as a good luck. Of course she didn't need it, I could see that by the way she smirked back.

"Marina Moore", the voice said after less than an hour. I looked up at the door and gave Hadrian an uncomfortable smile before I stood up. I felt my heart pound in my chest and a funny feeling in my stomach. I was nervous as hell.

"Hey, Marina," Hadrian said and I looked back. "You can do this."

I smiled and nodded. "Thanks," I said, "good luck as well."

I breathed in and out and pushed the doors open. The training space was way too empty without all the tributes, only the assistants and trainers were standing at the different stations. I walked to the front and looked up at where the Game Makers were seated in a lounge.

"Marina Moore, District 4", I said, a voice in my head faintly snickering that that rhymed.

The Head Game Maker, Seneca Crane, nodded and gestured me to begin. I walked to the spear station and grabbed the one that looked the heaviest, because its weight would be equal to that of a trident. I ordered the target to move back to its maximum, breathed in, aimed and threw the spear.

In the shoulder. Could be lethal, but it would require finishing off. They wanted to see the target 'dead' right away.

I moved on to the next target, took a deep breath and aimed, then threw again. I grinned, hearing the satisfying 'thunk' as the spear drove into the target. Bulls-eye.

The next one went straight into the heart and I gave a satisfied smirk. I looked at the Game Makers, they were nodding in approval. Then I walked over to the knives station and picked a few small throwing knives. I stepped into the middle of the moving targets. I had seen Clove use the other station, where a one by one the targets would light up. No doubt she had done this station as well for her training session.

Grounding myself, I watched the moving targets for a short while, observing the way they moved and when they were closest to me. Then I threw knife after knife, thinking about everything my dad taught me, hitting all the dummies in the heart, head or neck. Saying that I felt proud would be the least way to put it.

After the knife throwing, I went to a trainer, knowing that I still had some time left. I grabbed the twin blades and asked the biggest trainer to fight me without a weapon, so it would be hand-to-hand. This was what I trained for. This trainer resembled the biggest tributes in the Games- that being Cato or Thresh in my head, and I had to show them that I was able to outsmart them with my speed, flexibility and blades.

I got ready for combat and waited for him to make the first move. Cato would probably make the first move as well, I knew, seeing he was so full of himself because he was bigger than me.

Even though I anticipated it, the trainer still caught me off guard and threw me on the ground. I grunted and struggled beneath him and cried out when he hit me square in the face. That _hurt._ I knocked my forehead against his to disorientate him. That hurt too. The few seconds he was disorientated, I used to roll over so that I was on top. I hit him in the face, _payback bitch_ , but stood up instead of taking him out right away.

I had this feeling the Gamemakers wanted a more interesting, longer fight.

The trainer seemed to know this away, seeing he wasn't surprised, and waited for me to make a move.

I did and swung my blade as I leaped forward, but he avoided it easily. The next few minutes we attacked and dodged; he hit me in the stomach, chest and kicked me in the knee, I sliced him in his leg, arm and across his stomach – none were lethal.

But then before he could hit me again, I sliced my blunt blade along his stomach again, whirled around as I made a second strike and stopped just before I could cut the trainer's neck- which was impossible with a blunt knife of course, but still I said loudly, "dead."

I looked at the Game Makers who nodded at me. "You are dismissed, Marina Moore," Seneca Crane said, "thank you."

The moment I walked into the living room, Finnick, Mags and Calla started questioning me about the training session.

"What did you do?"

"How did you throw?"

"How in whole Panem is the prep team going to remove that bruise on your face?"

I rolled my eyes at the last question, obviously coming from Calla.

Hadrian came in half an hour later, saying he felt it had gone okay.

A little while later after dinner, everyone, including our prep team and stylist, went to sit on the couch in front of the television. I was nervous, wondering if I had done well enough today. The training hadn't gone perfect: I had hit a non-lethal spot with a spear while I aimed for the head and I had been hit several times by the trainer, even in the face. What grade would that leave me?

Caesar and Claudius appeared on the TV-screen, welcoming all people in Panem. They started talking about how they wondered what happened behind the doors of the Training Center and that they might catch a glimpse of it tonight.

I frowned as they suddenly started showing pictures. They photographed us during training? When did that happen? Why didn't I know about it? I thought leaking information about the training was forbidden?

I looked at Hadrian in question, who shrugged, meaning that he hadn't noticed either. I turned back to the screen as they showed five pictures or so.

The first one was of Glimmer, using a bow, Clove standing in the background. The second picture showed Katniss and Peeta at the fire making station. They were concentrated, not looking at each other. The third one showed Hadrian and Marvel during lunch and the fourth showed four tributes from District 7 and 9.

But as the fifth one was shown, I gasped for air. For a second I didn't see it, but there behind Thresh, seen through the glass sliding doors, were Cato and I in the small room where I had been practicing fighting with the twin blades.

Me pushed against the wall, Cato close to me, face to face.

My face went red.

"Ah, look at Thresh there, he's…" Claudius stopped mid-sentence and frowned. "Wait. What is that? Do you see that, Caesar? Zoom in a little?" No, no, no! They've seen it! Now everyone will see it!

They zoomed in on us and I cringed. With the high-Tech Capitol stuff here, it was clear for everyone to see us. I felt Hadrian's gaze- scratch that, everyone's gaze on me.

"You already know he tried to intimidate me", I said, glaring at them.

Finnick frowned and pointed at the screen. "I believe you Marina, but that just doesn't look like intimidating you."

That made me frown as well and I looked at the TV-screen, focusing on the commentaries again.

"Well, well, well," Caesar said with an impressed grin, "what do we have here? District 2 and 4 having a little affair?" Claudius laughed and tilted his head. "I think something a little more happened than just training, don't you think too?"

And shit, Finnick was right. Cato wasn't looking angry at me at all. In fact, I had to give Dara credit for her right speculation. He indeed had looked at me with… lust. I looked at myself on the picture. My cheeks were bright red and my mouth was hanging open a little. No, no, no!

I put my head in my hands. "Fuck!" I shouted into my hands and ignored the 'language!'-exclaim of Calla. "What do I do now? They'll ask about it during the interview, won't they? What do I say? And when I see him again? What then?"

Mags put a hand on my shoulder and smiled reassuringly. "It's gonna be okay sweetheart," she said kindly. "Tomorrow, you'll have plenty of time to figure out what to do. The interview is the day after."

I nodded and looked back at the screen. God, how could I do this to myself? Did Cato know? Would he be surprised as well, looking at the picture with wide eyes? He was probably just smirking, like he always did. As if he had already won a game of his own.

Finally, the picture disappeared from the screen and Caesar and Claudius started with the grades.

Marvel's face appeared with a 9, Glimmer as well.

I noticed I was leaning forward a bit when Cato was shown. It was no surprise he had a score of 10, Clove too. They were probably the best of all tributes, and a 10 was a grade to be proud of. District 3 had a 7 and a 5, pretty average.

Everyone sat in silence as Hadrian's face appeared.

"District Four, Hadrian, with a score of... 9."

We sighed in relief and nodded at Hadrian proudly. "That's great, Hadrian", Calla said approvingly, then everyone turned back to the screen again.

"District Four, Marina, with a score of… 10."

I smiled proudly. A 10! How had I scored a 10? Sure, my session went pretty well, but a 10? I couldn't help but think about what Cato had said before his session. Shove that one in your ass!

"Awesome job, Marina!" Finnick said as he clapped my back with a smirk.

I grinned and saw Hadrian looking at me. "Well done", he said with a nod and smile.

Dara had scored a 5, way too low if you'd ask me. I wasn't surprised that Thresh had received a 10 as well, but I was when I saw Rue had scored a 7. I wondered what she had done to make the Game Makers give her a chance. Peeta had an 8 and I gasped when Katniss scored the highest of all of us.

An 11.

I didn't know how she'd done it, but she had scored an 11. This year, District 12 certainly was competition. This year, District 12 might finally have a victor again.

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	7. Chapter VII

**CHAPTER VII**

 **Hey there!**

 **Told you that I'd post in only a few days ;). I'm in high spirits so in TWO days I'll post the next chapter!**

 **Thank you** _Portalpsycho_ **for your review! It's so good to hear you're enjoying the story! So this chapter is more of an interlude or gap-filling chap, but I tried to make things interesting. Tell me what you think of Marina and Peeta's conversation, I found it was a bit difficult to write.**

 **ANYWAYS, I'm gonna let you guys read and I'll see you in two days!**

 **Enjoy! :)**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own The Hunger Games, nor their characters, but I do own my OCs!**

* * *

I had thought that having a free day would mean sleeping in, but that was a foolish thought of course. Calla came to wake me up way too early and I groaned in response. Eventually I decided it'd be best to get out of bed and washed myself quickly before throwing on a simple outfit.

During breakfast Finnick and Mags explained what we were going to do today. Hadrian and I were going to be trained separately and I would spend my first four hours with Calla, the next with Finnick. I didn't know what why the heck we needed that much time for the interviews, but I didn't protest.

I followed Calla outside the apartment; apparently we would practice in the hall on our floor. She revealed a pair of horrendously high heels with an excited smile. She ordered me to put them on and walked further away from me, to the elevator. She stopped in front of it, turned to me and put a hand on her hip.

"Well? Are you coming or not?"

Only then I realized how I would spend the next four hours with Calla. Trying not to fall- and failing, during walking with high heels.

Well, shit.

I stepped forward, but almost immediately fell- the heels were at least 5 inches tall. I took another step and held onto the wall. One look at Calla's face and I knew she was just as not-excited as I was. This was going to be a long day.

I had just taken off the heels and let out an 'oooh' at the relief when I heard Hadrian chuckling behind me. Not only had I been walking these past few hours, Calla also taught me how to sit during the interview, how to smile- which I was fairly good at, she pointed out- and how to laugh genuinely. Seeing I was a kind person over all, I could say so myself, it wasn't really that hard. Just the blisters on my feet were a down side.

"Been doing well, Marina?" Hadrian said with arms crossed in front of him.

I straightened up, the heels hanging on my fingers. "I've been doing _super_ , Hadrian," I said with an over the top smile and pointed to my mouth, "can't you see the effect she had on me?"

"I take it I should brace myself?"

"Yup."

I walked into the dining room where Finnick was already seated with lunch. As I sat down, a servant put a place in front of me right away. I thanked him and turned to my mentor.

"How are you holding up, Marina?" he asked me with a curious grin.

I shrugged. "Believe it or not," I started with a grin, "but Calla said I'm doing very well. I think I might actually do this right."

He nodded with an impressed smile and took a sip from his drink. "Good, that's good," he said and put the cup down again. "Okay, strategies. Angles. The interview. I'm going to ask you a few questions and I want you to answer these as honestly as possible, okay?"

I nodded at him. "Sure."

"Marina, what went through you when you got reaped?" he asked.

I started fumbling with my tunic right away. "Uh, well, I was shocked of course. I mean, the chance is there, but you never really expect it to be you, you know? I was scared and I-"

"No," Finnick cut me off, "never show fear, Marina. Sponsors don't like scared tributes- it'll make you look weak."

I frowned and nodded. Of course, that was logical. Sponsors wanted confident tributes, those who had a chance to win. "Okay," I said, "yeah, sure."

He gave me an encouraging smile. "Next question…"

And so he went to ask me all kinds of questions the next hour. About home, my family, my friends, love life… I tried to answer them honestly, but every time I'd be _too_ honest or I would give a too long answer.

Eventually Finnick said it would be better to start with the different angles. In the end we decided that the sarcastic but kind angle would suit me best and he started asking questions again.

It went better now and I actually managed to joke a little. I hoped my nervousness would allow me to do that during the interview as well.

When we were finally done, I hesitated.

"Finnick?" I asked, stopping him from walking to the living area. He turned around. "Yes, Marina?"

"I, uh, what should I say when Caesar asks about the picture?" I asked, playing with my thumbs.

He walked back to me and sat down in front of me again. He was frowning in thought and looking at the ceiling, then turned back to me again. "Cato actually has an advantage here," he said, making me frown as well. "He's on the stage first, so when Caesar asks him about it, he might tell something that ruins what you want to say."

I nodded in understanding. Well, that was just peachy.

"The best thing is to make him look like he is chasing you," he followed. "And in some sort of way that is the truth, _he_ had you pinned against the wall, not the other way around."

I nodded. Come to think of it, it did look like he wanted my attention. On the roof, in the training center, the glaring and smirking at me… I could use that.

"Marina," Finnick continued, more serious this time, "he's dangerous. But somehow, you've made him look at you with eyes that weren't murderous. I suspect there's something more than just wanting to threaten you."

I frowned again, thinking about my conversation with Dara the other day. "Lust," I said, making Finnick raise an eyebrow, "that's what the girl form 5 said to me. She told me that he watched me during training."

"Great!" he said with a big smile, "that means the outfit worked!"

"Finnick!"

"What?" he asked fake innocently. "You caught his eye, you distracted him. This is good, very good! I'm going to let Ectorius make a few changes for your dress tomorrow, to make it just a little bit bolder."

"No!" I said loudly. "No, please don't! I don't want his attention! It only means I'm gonna die sooner or even worse, he'll give me a slow, painful death; that's what he said to me."

"No, Marina, you don't understand," Finnick said and leaned forward with a smirk. "From now on, be a little bold towards him, but not to annoy him. I've seen the way he looked at you after the Parade, it was lust, like that Foxy said. On the picture, he didn't look murderous or dangerous, but softer, like he _cared_. And if you make him care about you, he forgets other things around him. It'll make him vulnerable."

My brows furrowed in a deep frown. "When he cornered me during training, there was this weird moment," I followed, thinking back when he traced my jawline. "I don't know how to explain it, but he did look vulnerable."

"See what I mean?" Finnick said almost excitedly. "You make him care! You made a Career care about something else than winning. It'll confuse him, it'll distract him and eventually… it'll be the death of him."

"Okay, but we'll only see each other once before the Games," I said, swallowing as I suddenly realized how close the Games were. "What should I do?"

"Well, eye contact is a must," he said and I couldn't help but snort: he sounded like a relationship expert, "but don't just leave it with that. I don't know, whip your hair, bite or lick your lips. Every man falls for that…"

Now I threw back my head and laughed out loud. God, this was ridiculous. I had to seduce the most dangerous person I had ever met to make him vulnerable. I didn't even know for sure if Cato was able to have any emotions or feelings at all other than anger and arrogance. Even though I was laughing, I was pretty damn scared.

I turned back to Finnick to see that his eyes were narrowed and he pointed a finger at me. "Do that as well", he said.

"Do what?"

"Laugh," he stated simply, "and throw your head back when you do so. You have a nice jawline."

"Stop that," I said, glaring at my mentor, who sometimes felt more like an annoying older brother. "This is ridiculous, you know that? Seducing the giant, monstrous, dangerous tribute who kills for sport… Gosh, what have I gotten myself into?"

Finnick's smirk only widened. "A very special 'Hunger Games Love Edition'," he said with a suspicious grin. "Which _you_ are going to win."

That evening, we finally had some free time which for me, meant going to the roof for some fresh air. Unfortunately, once I had the time to just relax, my brain decided it a good idea to just run wild with thoughts.

I sat down on a bench next to a bush of pretty red tulips and plucked one out of it, the flower stem twirling between my thumb and index finger. Back home there weren't that many tulips to find in the wild- we mostly had the exotic plants with vivid colors, varying from bright pink to yellow or orange. We had a bush of pretty orange flowers in our front yard; my dad had insisted to pick that color instead of the typical blues and purples.

I smiled sadly, my gaze never leaving the flower in my hand. A wave of loss crushed over me as I thought about my father and I inhaled sharply, trying not to think about home: it'd only leave me crying.

The sound of the sliding doors behind me startled me and I looked behind me, seeing Peeta walking out of the dome-shaped room. He stopped walking as he caught sight of me, hesitantly putting his hands in his jeans' pockets.

"Hello Peeta", I said as I turned back to the tulip.

I heard him walking closer and looked up again as he came to sit next to me on the bench. He sighed and nodded at me. "Hey Marina," he greeted back. "Needed some fresh air as well?"

I nodded and we sat there in silence for a moment, Peeta staring into the distance and me twirling the tulip's stem. Eventually, he looked at me with a curious face.

"So, uh," he started hesitantly, "you and Two?"

I huffed and wrinkled my nose in disgust. "It really looks like that in the picture, doesn't it?" I said as I looked away, but saw him nodding out of the corner of my eyes. I sighed and shook my head. "No, of course not; I can't stand him."

"Then why…"

"He threatened me," I cut him off. "It's nothing, he was just… I don't know, trying to give me a scare."

"Did it work?"

"Of course it worked," I said, a little more irritated than I meant to sound. "Just his appearance already does the work. I can't believe I said yes when he asked me to join his stupid pack."

He frowned. "Why did you?" he asked curiously. "Because of your partner?"

I nodded. "Yeah, but I think he could've done well on his own," I replied. "He's already got Glimmer drooling all over him the whole time, he seems to be good friends with her partner Marvel, Clove and Cato don't hate him as well… I think it was totally unnecessary for me to join them too."

"Then don't."

I turned to him with raised eyebrows, then drew them back into a frown in confusion. "What do you mean?"

He shrugged and also took a tulip out of the bush, examining it while talking. "You can escape. As soon as the horn blows, you can just run away from the Cornucopia- you don't have to join them."

My eyebrows furrowed deeper and I eyed him. "Yeah, sure, but they'll kill me as soon as they find me."

"Well, I don't think they should underestimate you," he said with a kind smile. "Certainly not with that 10 of yours. And you're fast, I've seen that during training." He paused and shifted a bit so that he could face me more. "Marina, you're not like them. I don't see you killing off tributes just for fun: you're too nice."

"Everyone says that, but how do you know?" I challenged as I turned to him as well and gestured to my face. "This could all be an act. Maybe I _am_ a ruthless killer and I'm just pretending to be nice. Maybe I'm just pulling a Johanna Mason."

He smiled again. "Johanna Mason scored a 4. And if this were an act," he said, "you'd be an amazing actress. But unfortunately for you, I'm good at reading people, thanks to Katniss."

I laughed softly and looked back at the tulip. "You're really nice, Peeta," I said honestly and turned back to him again. "It's a shame she doesn't see more than that."

Peeta's eyebrows raised, but then furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean?" he asked in turn.

"Katniss," I said simply and sighed as he tried to pull an unknowing and innocent face. "Oh, come on, Peeta, I know you fancy her."

Now he had more of a 'guilty'-look and I couldn't help but laugh. "I'm good at reading people too, you know," I said, then nodded to the side in consideration. "Well, some people at least. I can't seem to understand Cato- but he's just an odd case. Anyways, it just sucks. I mean, the Games and her…"

He swallowed and nodded. "Yeah, it sucks," he said as he looked away. "But you know what's even worse?"

I shook my head and waited for him to go on.

"Haymitch wants to use it," he said, making me frown. "He thinks it'll get us more sponsors, so more chance to win."

My face fell into an apologetic smile. "That's indeed worse", I agreed.

He just nodded again, and we both looked in front of us, to the buildings that blocked our view on the high mountains in the distance. It was getting late; slowly, each light in the apartments of the enormous buildings went out, but we sat there in a comfortable silence of reflection for another hour.

That next morning, Calla was pacing holes in the floor with her high heels until she saw me and she let out a sigh of desperation. "Well, finally!" she exclaimed as she walked to me, led me to the chair and forced me to sit down on it. "What were you thinking? It's already half past 7!" I rolled my eyes and looked around the room.

"Where's Hadrian?" I asked curiously.

"They're doing his make-up in his own room," Calla answered. "He doesn't need as much make-up as you do."

I huffed at the insult. "Thanks a lot, Calla," I replied, "surely I should've come back after the trainings with more bruises, or not?"

She only looked at me and I swore I saw she was trying really hard to not roll with her eyes as well, and I grinned a bit. I guess not even _Calla_ was perfect, even though she really liked to think so.

"Someone's in a good mood," a voice behind me said and I turned to see Finnick with a grin on his face as always. "Good morning, Marina. I take it you're excited for today?"

I faked a smile. "Why of course, Finnick!" I said overly happy. "How couldn't I? I mean, I just _love_ the fame you get before you _die_."

Calla shot me a glare, but I ignored it.

The prep team appeared from the dining space and immediately started combing and drying my wet hair, then went on with my face. As they did so, Finnick and I discussed the interview, again talking through the different angles on the different types of questions. Sarcastic when it came to regular chitchat, a little more confident, yet still approachable if Caesar asked about the Games themselves and if it came to family, I'd be loving and caring.

Apparently, the mirror shouldn't have been brought in here, because they had me turned away from it. I felt layer after layer being painted on my face and it was almost as if my head began to feel more and more heavy.

After my face, they continued with my nails, both from my fingers and toes. This I _was_ allowed to see, and I cracked a smile as I saw blue wave crests painted over the white nail polish. They certainly did their job well. The same pattern was painted on my toe nails.

After three hours of doing my hair a bit, putting on make-up and painting my nails _and_ talking about the strategies for the interview, they were finally done. They told me they'd do my lipstick right before the interviews started, so that I could still eat without smudging it all over my face.

Hadrian had come out of his room an hour before me and was led away downstairs, to the room of his head stylist.

After eating some fruit, I went down as well. I was allowed to change into some easy clothes, just so that I wouldn't have to wear the bathrobe in public. Calla was with me in the elevator, talking about how she was so excited and curious for the outfits Hadrian and I would get to wear. She told me it was a 'once in a life-time' experience, and if it weren't for the doors that slid open, I would've yelled at her that she was right, since I'd probably die in a few days anyway.

The problem was that we weren't at the floor of the stylists yet, but at the second floor. I swallowed a bit as Cato walked inside, followed by Clove, both having their make-up done as well. Clove seemed rather grumpy, sometimes trying to scratch her face, but every time her escort would slap her hand away and say: "Don't ruin the make-up _again_."

I couldn't help but grin and she looked at me with narrowed eyes. "What are you staring at, Four?" she asked challengingly. "Is there something on my face?"

I laughed at that and nodded. "Yeah there is, and I think you don't really like it yourself."

She rolled her eyes, but I saw she wasn't really insulted. "It feels like a fucking mask! I want to just peel it of my face," she said annoyed and ignored the glare her escort shot at her. "All this dress up is just the most stupid, girly thing ever."

"Clove!"

"What?!" she said as she turned to her escort angrily. I snickered as she began ranting and yelling at the Capitol woman, but frowned a little to myself as I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up, feeling as if I was being watched. I turned my head a bit to see Cato, ignoring the fight between his escort and his partner, looking at me.

A smirk tugged up his lips and I narrowed my eyes. What was it every time with that smirk? What was it that he wanted to say? What was going through his head right now?

The elevator doors slid open and the District 2 party walked out first, then me and Calla. We parted ways without saying anything and I followed Calla to Ectorius' room.

There, I spent another three hours just waiting for him to finish my dress; paging through magazines, having some lunch and staring into nothingness.

Finally, he asked me to stand on the platform in front of the mirror and told me to close my eyes as he dress me.

"Now, Marina," he said after twenty minutes, "open your eyes."

I did so and my breath got stuck in my throat. My eyes went up and down my own body in the mirror.

My hair was pulled into a bun on the side of my head, an exotic white flower within it I recognized from home. I smiled and went on to look at my face. It wasn't as heavy as the look of the Tribute Parade. The only thing that was that heavy was the eyeliner around my eyes, a thick black line and a thin line of glittering green. My lips were a soft pinkish color, looking… kissable.

And then the dress. Just wow.

It had a deep blue color and was tight all around my body, except for the bottom. The dress had a mermaid shape, and I grinned, catching Ectorius' eye. It had tight off-the-shoulder sleeves and they reached to my hands. My back was bare and the front was heart shaped at my chest. Around my neck hang the necklace with the pearl pendant and I stroke it softly, admiring my look.

I turned to Ectorius with a broad smile and got of the platform to hug him. "This is gorgeous, Ectorius!" I said and could practically feel him smiling.

"I'm glad you like it, Marina," he said and pulled away, "but I must say that you yourself do most of the work. _You_ make this outfit gorgeous."

He walked to the mirror where a pair of high heels stood on the ground. "Now, let's put these on, shall we?" he asked and beckoned me to sit on the couch.

There, I put on the silver-colored high heels and exhaled in relief as I noticed they weren't as high as the ones Calla gave me to practice on yesterday.

"Don't forget," Ectorius said with a grin, "when you walk, don't pull up the dress above the ankles. Calla would kill you if you did so."

I laughed and nodded. "Alright," I said, "what time is it actually?"

Ectorius looked at his watch around his wrist and looked up at me again with a wide smirk.

"Showtime."

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	8. Chapter VIII

**CHAPTER VIII**

 **Have fun reading!**

* * *

This year, Caesar Flickerman's hair had a dark blue, cobalt blue color, just like his eyeliner and his lips. Well, at least it wasn't red like last year; it had looked like he was bleeding all over his face. His suit was indigo as always, shining like stars in the night because of all the glitter on it.

All the tributes were lined up and waited for the cue to walk up the stage, where we would sit and wait for our turn. Hadrian was standing next to me and looked rather nice. His suit wasn't a deep blue color like mine, but was all black except for his lighter blue shirt underneath.

We had been the last pair to walk in backstage, and to say that all eyes had been on us was precisely the truth. Finnick had made some childish comment about my dress and the 'adaptions' that had been made, Mags had given me and Hadrian an approving smile and then came Calla, shrieking that we looked 'absolutely magnificent' and would steal the show just by appearing.

Then Finnick had leaned in and whispered that _somebody_ was watching me and that I shouldn't look behind me. But as the stagehands had ordered us to line up, I caught a glimpse of Cato watching me intently. Well, the bare back and shoulders – the adaptions – had done its job.

We finally got the cue and I felt my heart beat quicken, my hands sweating and a lump in my throat that just wouldn't go away as we walked up the stage. Hadrian now walked behind me and I missed having him by my side. I lifted the skirt of my dress a bit and made sure that it wouldn't go higher than my ankles.

We all sat down and watched how Caesar warmed up the crowd by making jokes, but then got to the point and welcomed the first tribute to the stage: Glimmer.

I already knew which angle she was going for. Her golden and see-through dress was bold, she was obviously going for sexy and made it clear as she laughed in a high-pitched tone, making sure to whip her hair every once in a while. After three minutes, the buzzer rang and it was Marvel's turn. He joked back and forth with Caesar, clearly going for the funny and relaxed type.

Then it was Clove's time to shine, I thought with a well-hidden grin. I saw how she forced a smile on her face and walked to Caesar in her high heels and in her little orange dress. I could see by the way she was walking she hated her outfit.

Cato was called up the stage and I swallowed. What would he say if Caesar asked him about the picture? Would he say there indeed was something between us? Would he say I was clingy and he just told me stop hanging around him like Glimmer did with Hadrian? Would he just ignore the question?

I furiously hoped the latter.

Cato didn't even have to act. He didn't _have_ to play the ruthless killer; he _was_ the ruthless killer. Every question had a short and clear answer, but the Capitol seemed to love him nonetheless. He was going to bring pride to his district, he said with determination and I furrowed my brows a bit.

 _Pride_.

He was so sure he was going to win.

The buzzer rang and Caesar stood up, followed by Cato. "Now, I actually wanted to ask you another question," Caesar said with a wink, "but I'm afraid my time is up. Let's hear it for Cato!"

The crowd cheered and roared, and Cato turned around to walk back to his seat. I could've sworn I saw something of a relieved sigh, but he quickly composed himself and the next second his eyes found mine. For a moment he just looked at me with an expression I couldn't put my finger on. It wasn't lust, it wasn't anger and it wasn't cockiness.

But then he smirked like he always did and I narrowed my eyes only briefly.

 _"_ _Well, eye contact is a must,"_ I heard Finnick say in my head, _"but don't just leave it with that. I don't know, whip your hair, bite or lick your lips. Every man falls for that…"_

So I composed myself as well and whipped my hair as I looked away, leaving my neck and shoulder open to him. I didn't see his reaction, and I furiously hoped that the cameras didn't catch our little competition.

Hadrian leaned a little into me. "The cameras caught that", he whispered softly like he could hear my thoughts as Caesar was laughing about something- and I realized that Hadrian was right. The screens that were on either sides of the stage, towards the crowds and towards us to see, were split in half; one side Cato with Clove, and on the other side me with Hadrian. I swallowed and nodded as if he had just said something casual, then looked down at my lap.

"Well, I can't wait for a _certain_ interview, can you folks?" Caesar exclaimed and I flushed. "We will have to wait a little longer, because I welcome you from District 3…"

I turned a little to my district partner. "Hadrian, I'm kinda freaking out here", I whispered, feeling my heart beat in my throat. After seeing Cato pulling off the interview as if it was nothing, I wished I wouldn't have to act I was like this. I wished I _was_ this confident, but I wasn't. Instead I was a frightened little chicken who'd have to seduce the monster of 2.

"It's okay," he reassured me, "you can do this. I've seen you with crowds before, Marina. They already love you and nothing's gonna change that."

I nodded, hoping he was right. The girl from 3 got back to her seat and then her partner was called to the stage. Both interviews were casual chitchat and talk about family and friends. Still, Caesar did his best to let them shine, turning every short answer into something funny and trying to make them feel more at ease.

But then the boy went back to his chair and Caesar spoke again. "And now, people," he announced, "I welcome you all the gorgeous girl from District 4: Marina Moore!"

I stood up, trying not to tremble as I walked to the middle of the stage, my skirt a bit lifted off the ground. Instead of shaking my hand, Caesar brought it to his lips and gave my knuckles a light kiss.

"Marina," he said as he went to sit down and I did the same, "you look stunning. Just absolutely stunning, doesn't she folks?"

The crowd cheered in approval and I laughed a bit. "My stylist Ectorius has certainly done a great job," I replied with a wide smile. "Even the heels are comfortable!"

Caesar laughed and shot me an incredulous look. "Heels? Comfortable? Now tell me, ladies, have you ever had _comfortable_ heels?"

All the women shouted 'never!' and 'no way' and Caesar and I both laughed, and I was surprised that I didn't sound fake at all. I didn't even feel fake. In fact, I think I was rather enjoying this.

"Now, back to the point," Caesar said and looked at me with a serious face. "The moment you were reaped, what went through you? We all saw that sudden change from… perhaps shock to determination, didn't we?"

I smiled, though felt this was a little harder than before. Still, I tried as hard as I could to sound genuine as I answered. "Well," I said and cleared my throat, "I saw my little brother, Byron, in the crowd from the stage." I paused before going on. "And when I saw my parents and my best friend as well, I guess I already realized I shouldn't waste my time being scared. I wanted to come home and… that was when determination took over." I chuckled a little nervously.

"That's a good thought, Marina," Caesar said with compassion, then smiled and tried to lighten to mood. "And you scored a 10 after all! You should have a fair shot at winning."

"If I won't win, I think my parents are going to kill me", I said while laughing, and luckily the crowd did so too.

As the crowd silenced again, Caesar let a grin tug up his lips.

 _Oh boy. Here it comes._

"As you might've seen, Marina," he said with a suspicious hint of excitement, "there were pictures taken during the training days."

Already suspecting what this was about, the crowd let out 'oohs' and 'ahs' and I blushed. "They indeed made pictures, Caesar", I replied as casually as possible.

"And on one of these pictures…" he said but didn't have to talk further, because the screen behind us showed the picture, but fully zoomed in on Cato and me. I sighed and shot a glare at Cato before turning back. I had looked at him long enough to see that annoying smirk still on his face. _Mental note: making sure I'd punch that right of his face during the Games._

"Care to explain?" Caesar asked me excitedly and turned to the crowd. "We all want to hear about this, don't we folks?" The crowd roared in agreement and he looked back at me in anticipation.

"Well, Caesar," I said after breathing in deeply, "I can assure you that in all the sudden… he was there. I hadn't seen it coming at all."

The crowd reacting with more 'oohs' and I could see some women on the first few rows looking at me with jealousy.

Caesar leaned in as if I was telling a secret. "But..?" he asked and gestured me to move on, "is there something going on between you?"

I bit my lip, not knowing what to say. Was there? No, there wasn't. He was just trying to scare me, that was all, right? But still, something told me that I was lying to myself. Because on the picture, it looked like I had enjoyed the moment. And Cato… he didn't look at me with anger, nor was it what Dara had called lust. It was something else. I looked at the picture, but my gaze lowered a bit and I caught Cato's eyes. He was leaning forward, as if nervous about what I was going to say. Was he nervous? Or was it an act?

The look on the picture _and_ the look on his face right now confused me. A lot.

I turned back to Caesar, a smile plastered on my face. "To be honest, Caesar," I said softly, "I'm still trying to figure that out."

The buzzer went off and it took everything in me to not sigh of relief.

"Well, I'm afraid we'll have to wait and see, folks" he said as he turned at the crowd and they almost whined in disappointment. "Give her a great applause; Marina Moore!"

I thanked Caesar and the crowd and went back to my seat, avoiding eye contact with Cato, even though I felt his gaze right on me. As I sat down, I looked at Hadrian, whispering a 'good luck' before he was called onto the stage.

With the seat empty between us, Dara sent me a knowing smirk. I rolled my eyes at her

Hadrian did rather well and acted casual around Caesar. He joked a bit and made the Capitol people melt as he talked about his little sister. He did it just perfect: he was tough, but could still show the softer, more humane side to the Capitol, and it was just what they wanted.

"Now, Hadrian, tell me," Caesar said as he leaned forward. "You and Marina seem pretty close. Is there maybe something of a love triangle here?"

Hadrian laughed and shook his head. "No, Caesar," he replied as he glanced back at me, "I can assure you there's no love triangle; Marina is like my baby sister."

More 'awhs' from the Capitol people and I scowled, realizing I was on the big screen. "I'm only one year younger than you are!" I shouted to Hadrian, making the crowd and Caesar laugh, and Hadrian as well.

"Okay, so you're more like family?" Caesar recapped and Hadrian nodded. "Is there a girl waiting for you then? Back home in your district?"

Hadrian shrugged. "No," he said as he shook his head, "no, I don't think so."

"Oh, truly? Come on, Hadrian, tell us the truth!" Caesar pushed on and I frowned a bit. Didn't he realize that this could be a soft spot of her district partner? Maybe he didn't want to say this publicly, with whole Panem watching!

"Well," Hadrian said a bit hesitantly, "there is this one girl that caught my eye…" He glanced back and I realized just who he was looking at so briefly. Glimmer. He liked Glimmer.

He liked _Glimmer_?!

Caesar glanced back as well, clearly catching who was looking at as well and looked at Hadrian again.

The buzzer went off and both of them stood up, shaking hands.

"Hadrian, I wish you all the luck," then turned to the crowd. "Hadrian Waller!"

He walked back to his seat next to me and smiled. "Well, that was an experience", he whispered and I couldn't help but grin. He was so positive, like always.

 _Like always_. It was strange to realize I only really knew him for little more than four days. In such short time he had become my brother, like he had said.

Dara was next, talking intelligently about how people shouldn't write her off because she had tactics and strategies.

I kind of zoned out during the next interviews and only got pulled back into reality when Rue practically fluttered up the stage in a dress with wings on her back. She looked so sweet. So… innocent.

She also told Caesar that people shouldn't underestimate her and he told her he wouldn't since she had gotten a very good score for her training session.

Thresh was quiet, only answering with 'yes' or 'no'. The Capitol people looked intimidated, but still seemed to like him.

Katniss stole the show, giggling as the skirt of her dress seemed to catch fire while whirling around. To be honest, I thought it was kind of lame; Katniss didn't seem to be that kind of girl. Though I had to say, her stylist made amazing outfits for her.

But it was Peeta who had gotten the crowd _and_ Caesar left in shock as he practically said he was in love with his district partner. But I wasn't in shock. He had told me yesterday evening about it and I couldn't help but empathize with him. His mentor had forced him to use his love for her, in order to get sponsors.

Finnick had been right to call this a Special Hunger Games Love Edition.

It was actually cold on the roof. Luckily I had thought to bring a coat with me and I hung it over my shoulder, hugging myself underneath it to get warmer. I was just wandering around the rooftop garden and even though it was cold, I didn't want to go down.

Only five days ago I was still in the train. Only six days ago I was still home. And tomorrow, I could be dead.

To say that the thought sent chills up my spent was the least way to put it. I went to sit down on a bench in order to stop the trembling, but my hands were still shaking.

When I had arrived on the roof, I had seen Katniss and Peeta together, apparently making up to each other. Once the interviews were over, the female tribute had practically stormed up to Peeta backstage. Peeta had glanced at me with a smile, reassuring me that everything was 'fine', and I had walked to the other side of the roof to leave them alone for a while.

They were now long gone, I think it was close to midnight.

I thought about what Peeta had told me yesterday. About leaving the Career pack. It was possible, he was right, but I also knew that they would kill me without hesitation if they found me. And what about Hadrian? Who would protect them?

Slowly, as I played with my fingers, I began forming a plan. A plan that might involve alliances and observing. A plan where I would be close to my enemies, but never too close. A plan where I had the advantage, not the big bad guys. A plan that would help me win.

I heard footsteps doors slide open and I turned around, expecting Hadrian to tell me that I should go to bed.

But it was none other than Cato.

He didn't seem to notice me, and I quickly hid behind a random bush close to the bench I was sitting on.

I swallowed as I saw he was just strolling around, like I had a few minutes ago. What was he doing here? Surely he didn't seem to be the one to wander around the night before the Games? He didn't need time to think, right? He knew what he was going to do: win.

His hands were in his pockets as he was staring into the distance. I couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking of or what he saw in the distance.

I followed his gaze and caught sight of the mountains behind the tall Capitol building. Of course! His district was surrounded with snow-capped mountains, probably his daily view when he looked out of the window.

And then it struck me. As much as I hated him, he was human too. He wanted to go home just as much as I wanted. Yeah, we had a different way of achieving that goal, but still. Cato obviously thought he was alone, he'd never show people this… almost vulnerable side.

Only me. Very briefly.

For about ten minutes I sat there behind the bush, watching every move of his and waiting for him to go back inside. But instead of going back, he stayed. For a solid thirty minutes. Sometimes he would just walk around, then stop and walk further again.

As he made his way to the wall-fence, I pursed my lips. His back was turned to me and I stood up as quietly as I could. I walked backwards to the doors in case he would turn around and catch me, and everything was going just fine until something hit me in the back and I yelped.

Realizing what I'd done, I let myself fall to the ground, relieved that there was a row of bushes between me and Cato. The thing that I had walked against was a tree. A fucking tree on a roof. He had heard me, no doubt.

"Who's there?" I heard him call, his voice hard and stern. I bit my lip and went to a crouch to watch him from behind the bushes. I ducked again as I saw him turn to my direction, furiously hoping he wouldn't catch me.

I risked another peek and to my relief I saw he was walking to the way where I'd come from. As quickly as I could, I sprinted to the doors and sighed as they slid close behind me. That was way too close for my liking. Certainly I didn't want to be caught by my neck again, pushed against the wall.

That night I had the hardest time falling asleep. My mind unwillingly showed me all the ways I could die- varying from being killed by tributes or by the little tricks of the Gamemakers. But I couldn't help thinking about Cato as well. There was something about him that made me question his ruthless-killing-machine-act. The way he gazed to the mountains with an almost longing look, as if he didn't want to be here, but back home.

But that's the part I didn't understand. He volunteered for this. He wanted this. So why back out now? Of course I knew he wasn't going to back out, but still… Something was off.

* * *

 **Hope you liked it, review if you did!**

 **-xoxo-**


	9. Chapter IX

**CHAPTER IX**

 **Guys...**

 **This chapter...**

 **IT BEGINS.**

 **May the odds be ever in your favor.**

* * *

This time, Calla didn't wake me up with loud knocking on my bedroom door.

I woke up with her quietly and gently shaking me awake, a sad smile on her face as I turned over to her. My heart sank into my stomach. Today was the day.

Today, the Hunger Games started.

I had little time to shower and threw on a plain green shirt and simple pants, then made my way to the dining table. Everyone, except the stylists, were already seated. The vibe was somber and gloomy, even Finnick didn't have the regular smirk or grin on his face.

I sat down next to Hadrian and he smiled at me, though it wasn't one of his happy smiles. The dread and fear was evident in his eyes, and I was sure that the same went for me. I made sure to have a light breakfast, but didn't want to eat too little; I didn't want to faint and fall off my platform and be blown off into hundred pieces.

I asked Finnick if he went with us to the Catacombs, as they were called by my family and many more people back home and other districts, but he shook his head. He'd only drop us off at the hovercraft with Mags.

Then it was time to go.

We said goodbye to Calla and I thanked her for everything she'd done for me, and we were then brought to a car, which brought us to the hovercraft platform. During the ride, Finnick and Mags gave us some last minute advice.

Search for water, don't step off your platform too early, watch your backs, get what you can from the Cornucopia and then – he looked straight at me as he had said it – stay alive. I supposed he figured out my plan just by the look on his face as he studied me closely for a second.

I hugged Mags first and she smiled at me, then turned to her own dear tribute. I looked at Finnick and lunged forward and found myself in his safe arms. I wanted to stay there, in the arms of someone who had become like an older brother to me.

"Thank you for everything, Finnick", I croaked out, doing my very best to not cry.

I felt him smile and he pulled away and held me by my shoulders, looking at me intently. "You come back to me, okay?" he said, and I nodded. It was exactly what my father had said with his goodbye. "Once you have the blades, get out of there. As fast as you can. Don't look back."

I nodded again. "How did you know?" I asked with a frown.

"You just told me yourself," he said with a small grin and then shrugged. "I didn't know for sure, but I could guess. You're not like them, Marina."

I smiled- a genuine one. "Peeta said the same."

I kept feeling my eyes being watery until we were seated in the hovercraft. There were two of them and Hadrian and I were in the same one. He was seated at the right end, diagonally across from Glimmer. Of course. I was seated next to Katniss and Thresh and I could feel the fear radiating from the girl to my left. It could also be just me, since I was doing my best to not shake.

Diagonally across from me, Cato seemed to be perfectly at ease, not having any problem with the lady who shoved a needle into his arm. The tracker. It looked painful and the bad thing was: I hated needles.

I caught Dara's eyes, who looked worried at the needle before it went inside her arm. Rue rubbed her arm after the woman was done, then it was Clove's turn. Katniss asked confused and worried what it was, and I could hear the snort from both District 2 tributes.

The woman moved over to me. "Give me your arm", she said a little impatiently. Hesitantly I extended my arm and she pushed the needle inside it. I pulled a face as I felt the tracker inside my arm and shook it a bit.

The next moment my legs felt a little weightless for a moment and I felt the hovercraft lift from the ground. I watched everyone's reaction closely, Katniss looking up frantically, just like Dara. Little Rue was pushed into her chair and looked up with wide, chocolate eyes. Even Cato briefly looked a bit unsettled, but composed himself quickly by leaning forward, in contrast to everyone feeling pushed and suffocated in their seats.

After 15 minutes, we landed and were pushed out of the hovercraft by the peacekeepers. Soon enough we walking through the Catacombs and I realized with a swallow that right now, we were underneath the Arena. Where it would all happen. Twenty-four went in, only one went out.

I was brought to a room, two peacekeepers behind me and loads of them at either side of the hall. They really didn't trust us. Seemed legit: if they weren't there, I'd definitely try to escape.

Once I was inside the room, the door slammed shut immediately. I caught sight of Ectorius and I quickly walked to him. He pulled me into a hug, then let go of me.

I ate some more food, making sure my stomach was full in the Games. As Ectorius went to grab the outfit, I went numb, just like when I got reaped. I vaguely remember him putting the jacket on me, telling me that it was meant to keep warmth in and that it'd probably be hot days and cold nights. He had grabbed something off the table; the necklace with the pearl pendant.

He hung it around my neck and I smiled and stroke it for a second, thinking about Byron and the rest of my family and friends. I wondered if they were all in front of the television, nervously waiting for the Games to begin. Were they just as nervous as I was?

"Thank you", I murmured to him, but startled when a female voice announced that we only had one minute left. I felt my legs shake and I had trouble standing still. Ectorius held me by the shoulders to steady me and I looked up at him, eyes wide with fear.

"Hey," he said with a kind voice, "hey, hey, you're going to be okay, Marina. You're going to make it out, I know it."

I nodded faintly and he pulled me into another hug, this time a little longer.

 _"_ _30 seconds._ "

I let go and looked at the tube of glass, which would bring me into the Arena. In my head, I repeated the plan over and over.

Get the blades. Get away from the Cornucopia. Watch the Careers as closely as I could.

I nodded to myself and turned back to Ectorius.

 _"_ _20 seconds."_

"Goodbye, Ectorius," I said, trying to sound less frightened, "thanks for everything."

He nodded at me with a smile. "I'll see you soon, Marina", he replied. I swallowed and walked slowly to the tube.

 _"_ _10 seconds."_

I stepped inside the tube, spinning around to face Ectorius once more as the door of the tube slid shut behind me. He just nodded at me, saying 'you can do it' once more only with his eyes.

A few seconds I heard nothing, but then the sound and feeling of how the platform lifted made me jump. I gasped and automatically looked up, then realized it was a good thing since I'd adjust to the light faster. First I saw white, then a blue sky.

The next moment I was standing on the pedal and I narrowed my eyes, taking in my surroundings. My heart was racing, but I tried to ignore it.

The first thing I saw was the Cornucopia. Inside and outside, tons of weapons were stalled. None of the weapons outside were blades; those were inside. _Shit_ , I thought, and looked around.

I was somewhat relieved to find I was in the middle of all the tributes, that meant I was closest and could run one straight line. Was I fast? Yes. Was I fast enough? I hoped so.

40 seconds.

I looked at the place we were dropped in. Behind the Cornucopia was water. Could I reach that without being killed? I'd had to get inside, grab the stuff and get out there, making a sharp turn. No, that would just slow me down. I'd have to get out and run a straight line to the forest behind me.

I spotted the bags on the ground. I had to grab one of those as well.

20 seconds.

I found Hadrian, close to the right side of the half circle. His eyes found mine as well. He just nodded as a wish of good luck, and I did the same.

10 seconds. 9 seconds.

I got ready to take a sprint.

8, 7, 6…

I gritted my teeth to stop the shaking.

5, 4, 3, 2, 1…

Thanks to my fast reflexes, I full-on went into sprint mode and focused on only one thing: the two identical blades that I could see shimmering inside of the Cornucopia. I sped up even more when I thought about the tributes that were probably close behind me.

I was inside before the others were and instantly grabbed them without a thought, not trying to let myself be distracted by other beautiful, sharp and deadly weapons.

I quickly turned around but bumped into a huge body. Without trying to see who it was, I ducked to the side, rolled over the ground and ran past. I didn't know who it was or if he or she would even try to attack me, but I didn't care.

As I made my way out, I could see the dead-on faces of the other tributes, who were running in my direction- or actually, the direction of the Cornucopia. I realized I was just in time, because once I was out, they practically flooded inside of the weapon-heaven and grabbed anything they could see.

I ran further, spotted a bag and went to grab it. But just as I held it, I was pushed to the ground and I dropped the backpack. I grunted and rolled onto my back to see who was already pinning me down. I recognized him as the boy from District 7.

The boy wasn't as huge as Cato or Thresh, but he was taller and broader than I was for sure. He was on top of me and I struggled, trying to break free from his grip. He was strong, very strong, and I briefly wondered why he hadn't caught my eye during training.

In all the sudden I felt his fist connect with my cheek and I cried out as I felt the pain in my nose. My vision blurred for a moment, but then I caught sight of a shining object. He had pulled a knife out of nowhere and my heart beat quickened more and more.

Only then I remembered the twin blades which were still clutched in my hands. I lifted my head of the ground and knocked my forehead to his hard. He grunted and was disoriented for a second, so I used that as my arms broke free from his grip. Without thinking I drove one of the blades into his chest and I cried out while doing so.

 _Kill or be killed. Kill or be killed. Kill._

I felt him stiffen and I instantly pulled it out, then feeling his body slacken on me. I pushed him off of me with a groan and stood up quickly. Then I grabbed the bag, swung it over my shoulder and stumbled towards the forest.

 _Kill or be killed._

As I reached the forest edge, I hid behind a bush. Nobody could see me, not if they were in front of me, nor behind me. I was breathing rapidly, thinking about the boy I had just _killed_. I. Had. _Murdered_ someone.

My eyes were wide and my mouth hung open as I realized what just happened. I looked down to my stomach and almost felt dizzy as I saw the blood on my jacket. It wasn't mine. It was his. I had killed him and I didn't even know his name. He had a family too. He had someone who waited for him, just like I had. He wanted to survive the Games just as much as I wanted.

For a few minutes I stayed there, trying to catch my breath. _Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out._ I had to get out of here. I could hear the screams of children being killed off by the Careers. I could hear the laughter of the Careers killing those children. Was Hadrian with them?

I stood up and ran. I ran and ran and ran, thinking about nothing but running away from this hellhole. I didn't think about the boy I'd just killed. I didn't think about Hadrian, perhaps being killed off or even killing others. I didn't think about Dara or Katniss or Peeta or Cato. I just thought about running.

And I kept on running for, I think, two hours. Sometimes I'd go straight ahead, then I'd make a sharp turn to the left or right and went on.

The forest was perfect for running. The trees weren't too close to each other, but other tributes wouldn't be able to see you if they were close.

Finally I stopped and leaned with my hands on my thighs, breathing heavily. Other than the boy from 7, I hadn't run into anyone yet, and I wanted to keep it that way. So I looked at the trees around me, trying to find one that I could climb.

Thinking I found one, I began climbing, but it was more difficult than climbing the one in the training center. I grabbed a stomp, but my hands slipped off and I fell. Luckily I wasn't that high, but I still hit the ground hard and groaned.

Well, that wasn't going to work, so I went to sit down on a fallen trunk to look through my bag. Carefully, not wanting to lose them, I set the blades against the tree trunk and put the bag onto my lap.

I opened it and looked through it. The first thing I saw and grabbed was the rope. That might come in handy, I just had no idea what for yet. The other things were a flask for water- empty of course, a thin sleeping bag, a bottle of iodine, some matches, crackers and sunglasses. I frowned at the last thing and put them on, but I flinched as I saw only white.

I put them off quickly, realizing what they were. The glasses were made for looking in the darkness. This was good, this could come in handy for sure. I put everything back into my backpack, but before I swung it onto my back I stopped and frowned.

The front of the backpack had straps on them and I glanced at my blades. It was impractical to have to hold the blades the entire time, so I decided to fasten them onto the backpack in a cross. Now, if a tribute would catch me by surprise, I'd be able to pull them out quickly from behind me. And besides that, I was sure it'd look badass.

I started walking again, but stopped as the cannon went off. One. Two. Three. Four… and on and on. Ten were dead. Fourteen were left. Only one would get out.

I decided it'd be save enough to go back to the Cornucopia; it was late afternoon already and I knew the Careers would go hunting throughout the night. It was something they always did; they were so predictable.

And then I realized something as I walked back. I had betrayed the Careers. I had accepted to stay with them, but by now they would've figured out I wasn't in the Bloodbath at all. I wasn't killed and I hadn't killed, at least, they probably hadn't _seen_ me kill.

But now that I had betrayed them… that made me a threat. And threats had to be killed off.

I stopped walking.

 _I was dead._

In order to stop the panic attack from coming I inhaled and exhaled deeply, then started walking again as I shook my head to myself. It'd do no good to think about it all the time. It would only make me more paranoid.

My mind went to the those who had fallen. Ten kills in only, what, three or four hours? Was Hadrian still alive? Were Peeta and Katniss still here? And what about Dara and Rue?

I went to a light jog again, feeling I was going way too slowly. As I jogged, I thought about my plan. I knew what I was going to do once they'd go hunting. They probably had collected all of the stuff from the Cornucopia, to make it themselves easier – and the other tributes harder.

After what had to be an hour or so, I felt my muscles becoming sore of the running. I groaned a bit, thinking that if I couldn't even go through one day without soreness, I'd definitely have a hard time the next days. How long did Games usually last? Five to ten days?

When I knew I'd come closer to the forest's edge, I stopped jogging and almost tip-toed to where the forest met the field of grass. It was already dark and I was wearing the night-vision glasses.

I scanned the ground in front of me, seeing a pyramid of what had to be medication, food, clothes and everything that could be great use for a tribute. I spotted a few people under something that looked like a self-made canopy. They were lounging a bit, waiting for the perfect time to start hunting.

I scowled. The Careers were _lounging_! They had more than enough supplies, while the other tributes had to fight for their lives and had to find water or food. I briefly wondered if there were more tributes here, waiting for the pack to go so that they could steal some of the supplies as well.

Finally after an hour of sitting in the dark with the glasses on, they stood up and got ready for their hunting party. Only now I could make them all out. I spotted Hadrian (luckily he made it alive), Glimmer and Marvel, searching through the supplies for their weapons. I spotted Clove and Cato, talking to each other.

But then I saw another person, alone, but somehow still looking like he was part of the pack. I squinted my eyes and had to suppress a gasp when I saw who it was.

Peeta?!

What on earth was he doing there? I had thought he'd have an alliance with Katniss, seeing they acted so close. And they were supposed to be lovers, right? Did he betray her?

No, that wasn't like Peeta at all. He was too nice, just like me, to join the pack. Maybe he wanted me out of the pack so that he could join them himself? There was another reason he was with them. I figured I'd find out soon enough.

A rough ten minutes later they were ready and walked towards the forest's edge, straight towards… me.

Fuck!

I quickly tip-toed to my right, following the forest's edge. The Careers were coming closer, but since they were talking so loudly they didn't hear me. I crouched behind a bush and watched as the light of their flaming torches became more and more evident in the dark forest.

"Stop that, Glimmer," I heard someone say, "you're making me gag. Seriously Hadrian, how can you even handle her?"

"Marvel!" a girl exclaimed with a high-pitched voice, Glimmer of course. "Ugh, you're such a drama queen."

"Me? A drama queen?" Marvel replied, offended. "Look who says it!"

I would've chuckled if it weren't for the circumstances. Even though they sounded like dumb assholes going to a party instead of going hunting, they were lethal. One sound and I'd be exposed and dead in less than a minute.

The two argued for a few more seconds until a female growl interrupted them. "Could you two shut the hell up?" It was now that the pack came into my vision, and they stopped right there. Right in front of me. I tried my best to not move as I watched them with interest.

There stood Clove, her back turned to me, probably facing Glimmer and Marvel. For such a small girl she sure as hell knew how to make herself appear bigger in front of the two tall tributes of District 1. "If there were any victims here, they're long gone because you two make so much noise! So from now on, keep your fucking mouths shut."

"Ooh, maybe we'll find Four," Glimmer said bitter-excitedly, clearly not having listened to what she had said. "Well, if we find that bitch of a traitor, I'll kill her off." I gulped. This was exactly what I was afraid of. They despised me and wanted me dead more than anything else. I didn't blame them.

But before I knew it, Glimmer was pushed back by Cato so harshly that she fell to the ground. He towered over her and she looked at him with wide eyes. "Cato, what the fuck was that for?" she almost shouted.

I couldn't see his face, but when he spoke, he spoke with so much fury that I could very well picture the expression on it. "Don't touch her. She's mine," he said ice cold, then looked at each of the Careers. "If anyone of you touches her, I'll kill you. She's _mine_ to kill, understood?"

Everyone nodded, taken aback by his sudden fury.

Without saying another word, he walked further- Clove walking behind him and whispering something to him. Before the two disappeared into the forest I noticed the large sword in Cato's right hand. I swallowed thickly and turned to see Hadrian. He stood there, not knowing whether to help Glimmer up or not. Finally, he did and I scowled. He really didn't see what a bitch he was, did he? As he let Glimmer, Marvel and Peeta pass, he stood there for a few seconds, just looking around.

"Where are you, Marina", he mumbled so softly it was hard to hear. A part of me wanted to expose myself, hug him and let him know I was safe, but the other, more dominant part of me wanted nothing to do with him.

Cato and Glimmer had said they'd kill me if they saw me, and Hadrian had said nothing to defend me. We were friends right? He said so himself: we were like brother and sister. Surely he wouldn't let me die at hands of the Careers?

"Hadrian! You coming?" Glimmer's high-pitched voice squealed and Hadrian sighed, walking away. When their footsteps and occasional sounds of their voices were also out of earshot, I let out a relieved sigh.

I had been this close to being exposed and killed.

For another hour I waited there, watching the empty field and for any sign of other tributes. But there was none, and I figured it was now or never.

Slowly and carefully I almost _crept_ out of my hiding place and then walked onto the field, out of the open. I had to be fast. Even though I hadn't seen any sign of other tributes, there might be someone near or hiding just like I was.

I sprinted to the pyramid of supplies, almost awed at how they had stacked it all together. How had they done it in just a few hours? I grinned. I'd help them… lighten the weight of it all a bit. I had to take enough with me to survive the next two days, but also not too much so that they wouldn't notice me.

I scanned the supplies in front of me and smiled as I saw some medications for minor wounds. I swung the backpack off my back and opened it, stuffing a box of the meds in it. Then I noticed the section they'd created for food and grinned. They really made it easy for me, didn't they?

There were some dried meat and dried fruits, so I decided to grab that and stuff it in my pack as well. Walking to the other side of the pyramid, I grabbed an extra ladies shirt; you never know when it could come in handy.

Suddenly, I heard something.

It was just a crisp, but it was enough to make me wary. It could be nothing, but I still had to work fast.

But when I heard something else, something that sounded like footsteps, I turned around quickly. I could swear I heard something. But nothing or no one was there, and the crisps of grass were gone as well.

My breath whooshed out and I shook my head at myself. I was clearly imaging things. No one was here; the Careers were hunting other tributes, who were probably running away from them. I was the only one here on the field and I was being paranoid. Still, I had to be on my guard.

I turned back to the stacks of supplies and exhaled, closing my eyes as I did so. I opened them again and walked to the last side of the pyramid, but shrieked in sudden surprise when I saw someone standing there.

I dropped the backpack to the ground and threw my arms in front of my face to protect myself from any sword, dagger or even arrow.

Nothing came. I lowered my arms when I heard a female chuckle and I looked at her in confusion. Thanks to the glasses that helped me see in the dark, I saw to my relief that it was Dara.

I eyed her warily, but once I saw she just stood there, watching me as well, I put the glasses off.

"Nice glasses, Marina," she said humorously, "but it didn't really help to spot any tributes, did it?"

"Don't ever fucking do that again!" I hissed as I saw her smirk.

"Well, if I were someone else, you'd be dead by now", she said as she walked over to my backpack, which I had dropped in surprise.

"Wow," she said and she looked up from her crouch, "you're well-armed. Blades, food, rope, night-vision glasses… Where did you find the backpack?"

I nodded towards the Cornucopia. "During the bloodbath. Grabbed the blades there as well."

"You escaped the Careers _and_ the bloodbath?" she said with raised eyebrows and I nodded. "Damn, I might've underestimated you, Marina." She nodded to the stack of supplies. "Care to show me around a bit? They sure made this a piece of art, didn't they?" She glanced up at the pyramid and I did too, wondering how they had done this.

I nodded and looked back at her. "So, are you going to grab anything, Dara?" I asked. "Because I think we should make it quick. They could come back any moment."

"It's hardly even midnight and not one cannon has gone off yet," she replied, sounding a bit bored and unimpressed. "I think we're safe for now."

I huffed. "We're never safe in the Arena."

"True," she said with a nod. "Okay, let's start."

I stayed with her as she too grabbed some of the supplies of the pyramid. She had the same idea about quantity as I had: just enough so that they wouldn't notice anything. We then walked over to the Cornucopia, quickly raiding the Careers from some weapons. Dara took two small daggers, though she told me she didn't really have fighting skills.

I noticed a few spears in the back of the Cornucopia, but had to stop myself from grabbing one. Marvel would sure as hell have counted them and would notice if one was missing. Besides, I already had my twin blades, and those were heavy enough. Eventually, I decided a small knife wouldn't hurt, since I would have to start hunting for food sometime.

At last, we quickly jogged back into the forest and turned to each other when we were deep enough, unable to keep the grins of our faces.

"Well this was exciting" I said, and her smirk got wider.

"Sure as hell was," she replied. "Day after tomorrow? Early in the morning? We could observe them for a bit."

I nodded. "Alright. Until then, stay alive, Dara", I said, and we both parted our ways.

My backpack was a bit more heavy right now, but I kept walking until I felt a little more comfortable to lie down. I had my night-vision glasses on, occasionally looking back to see if someone was following me.

After two hours or so, I finally decided I needed rest and went to search for a hiding place. I think I searched for hours and hours, finding nothing but trees I wasn't capable of climbing.

But then, finally, I found myself walking on rocks. I remembered what I'd seen before the gong of the Games had sounded. A lake. With rocks and stone. Perhaps I could find a cave.

And I did eventually. I let out a shallow laugh of relief and instantly my hands flew to my mouth, silencing me.

The cave was well-hidden near the river. A person had to walk through several big rocks before he would be able to see the opening. Pleased and satisfied I ducked a bit and walked inside.

It was big enough for at least three persons. I opened my backpack and grabbed the thin sleeping back. Ectorius had been right when he expected cold nights; now that I finally stopped walking it was way colder than during the day and I crept into the sleeping back. I huddled against the stonewall and grabbed my blades from the backpack straps, clutching them in my hands.

Hopefully I'd be able to have at least a little bit of rest this night.

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	10. Chapter X

**CHAPTER X**

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I startled awake, feeling as if I was being choked to death. I immediately gasped for air and looked around, my hands clutching my blades and holding them in front of me, ready for someone to attack. It was utterly dark and I had no idea where I was, and I scrambled back, but gasped again as my back hit something hard. It was cold and I turned around, facing a stone wall.

A stone wall.

The cave.

The Hunger Games.

I sighed and closed my eyes, shaking my head at myself. The last time I woke up this disorientated was the night that Eridan was reaped. A shiver went down my spine as I realized that my Reaping was only a few days ago.

As I sat up, I thought about his Games. How he had killed the other remaining tribute. Now I understood why he was so shocked. No, shocked wasn't the right word. Petrified of himself. Horrified.

Because of the adrenaline of yesterday, I hadn't had that much time to think about what I had done. The fact that I had taken someone's life. Someone's son. Someone's brother, friend, maybe boyfriend. Now all I could see when I closed my eyes was his face. The blood spluttering out of his mouth on my face. The look on his face once he realized he wasn't going to live. That he wasn't going home.

I thought about Eridan's last advice when he came to say goodbye the day I got reaped. _Don't let them change you into a monster._

Well, that certainly hadn't gone well.

I gathered my stuff, my eyes more adjusted to the dark, and went to stand up. It was time to move. I didn't want to stay at one place for too long, keeping in mind that the Game Makers would find that boring and perhaps do something about it to spice things up. I didn't want them to make the cave collapse with me in it.

Out of my backpack I grabbed the night-vision glasses and put them on. I walked outside, slowly and cautiously, looking around me for any sign of danger. A tribute? A mutt?

Nothing. I stood still, wondering where to go. I had enough water and food, so I didn't have to hunt. I pursed my lips. I knew the Careers were still on their own _tribute_ hunt; not one cannon has gone off since the Bloodbath. So would it be safe to go out there now?

No, it wouldn't be safe, but I had to get moving anyways. Eventually, I decided to go to the Cornucopia. Once the Careers were back, I'd be able to observe them.

I went to walk into the forest, always being on my guard. It was still dark and every once in a while I heard the hoot of an owl.

The walk towards the Cornucopia would take me approximately two hours and it started as rather uneventful. The only things I stumbled upon were rabbits, squirrels and once I even caught a glimpse of a doe between the bushes.

The pack on my back was heavy but it gave me the feeling I was well-armed, should a tribute surprise and attack me. As I walked in the forest, I practiced grabbing my twin blades from my back, twirling them and immediately standing in fighting stance twice, to make sure it'd be my first instinct when I was in danger.

And I wasn't in any danger for an hour, walking warily through the forest, scanning my surroundings continuously. I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw a faint, warm light several meters away from me. I quickly hid behind a broad tree and turned my head around it to look.

Somewhere, I expected it to be torches of the Careers, but no one was talking loudly like they would; I could only hear the crisping of fire. I rolled my eyes. This tribute had just done the most stupid thing he or she could do in the Games.

I didn't know why, but I walked closer, trying to think of what I could do now. As I came closer, I saw it was the female tribute from District 8, trying to warm herself up. She didn't seem to notice that she was in serious danger now with the fire on, but she did look around frantically when a twig snapped under my feet.

Her eyes caught mine and they widened in fear. She immediately raised her hands as a peace sign. "Please don't kill me!" she said in panic, a little too loud, making me put a hand over her mouth in a reflex.

She gasped and winced and I immediately stepped away, realizing how terrified she had to be. I didn't know what to do. Should I kill her? She didn't do anything wrong, not like the boy from District 7. He had tried to kill me too, but this girl, whose name I also didn't know, was just trying to survive like me.

As I studied her face, I saw the confusion and cautious hope falling over her face when she realized I was hesitating. I shook my head. "Be quiet," I whispered a little annoyed, "I'm not gonna kill you."

She sighed in relief, then still eyed me warily. "Why?" she whispered back. "Where are your friends?"

I huffed. "They are _not_ my friends," I replied, then pointed to the fire which was probably still catching the attention of what might be- according to the girl from 8, my 'friends'. "And for God's sake, put out that fire. You're drawing attention to yourself."

Before she could respond, I quickly walked away and left her. I heard the sound of a foot stomping down the fire, but didn't hear her move away. I mentally shook my head, but kept on walking.

Suddenly, a scream rang through the air and I froze. I turned around to where I was coming from- to where the girl was. "Please don't kill me, please don't kill me!" I heard her begging just like she did with me, but this time it was only met with laughter.

The Careers.

I panicked, had no idea what to do. I wanted to help her- she didn't deserve to die! I knew I couldn't beat them all with simply two blades. Clove probably had knives that could take me out from a distance.

I was still panicking and standing there, feeling tied to the ground when I heard the girl scream again in agony.

"Marina!" she shouted. "Marina! Please, help me!"

My breath got stuck in my throat and I froze.

She had called my name.

 _Fuck!_ I still couldn't bring myself to move. _Fuck, fuck, fuck!_

Suddenly, I heard a low and dangerous voice booming through the air, saying "Find her!", and fight or flight instinct finally took over. I turned around and ran away, hearing the enthusiastic and anticipating shouts of them coming closer and closer.

I turned my head and was relieved to see that they weren't in my sight yet, but pushed myself to pick up my pace nonetheless.

I tripped over a tree's roots and fell face first into the ground. Of course it had to happen, I managed to think to myself. I grunted and went to stand up quickly, knowing they were gaining on me. I ran further and further, but my backpack was constantly sliding down my arms after the fall.

Suddenly I heard and felt a whoosh of air just by my ear and I ducked, then looked back with my head to see Glimmer standing still and aiming with her bow and arrow. _Bitch!_ I dodged the next arrow and went to run in a lesser straight line to make it harder to aim for her, and it seemed to work because no other arrows were fired.

My sides were beginning to ache and my breathing became short and shallow. With a pang of fear I realized Cato had been right: I couldn't run forever. I was beginning to feel tired, while they were still gaining on me.

I started to look around while running and saw I was close to the forest's edge. I saw, I heard and I smelled water and turned sharply to my right to run straight towards it. Only a few more meters, just a few more, I told myself as I came closer and closer.

Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through my arm and I screamed in agony. I stumbled, but forced myself not to lose my balance and kept running. It hurt like hell and I looked at my upper right arm to see a knife embedded in it. I kept on running but tears started to well up in my eyes at the hellish pain it was causing. With my last strength, I ran out of the forest onto the rock ground, then dove into the river's water.

The water was cold as ice but I didn't notice it, the only thought in my mind was swimming away to the shore on the other side and the pain of the knife in my arm.

"Come on, aim Glimmer", I heard someone shout, but another voice shouted "stop it! let her go!". I think it was Hadrian. I hoped it was Hadrian.

An arrow flew over my head and landed in the water before me and I turned around to the Careers, relieved I was somewhat safe. The water didn't feel comfortable at all; it was that cold, even to the point I momentarily forgot the knife that had dug its way into my arm and was still there.

They couldn't do anything now to kill me and I saw them on the shore, disappointed. I actually managed to grin.

"Wanna come in for a swim?" I croaked out and saw Cato furrow his eyebrows into a deep frown. His whole body seemed tensed as he watched me silently. I wondered what was going on in his mind- he probably wondered the same about me too.

Clove twirled a knife in her hand and I realized the knife in my arm was hers.

My attention turned to Glimmer, who threw a death-glare at me. "You're dead, Four!" she called threateningly over the water, pointing at me. "We're gonna kill your treacherous ass and you'll wish you were never born."

I wanted to stick my middle finger out to her or to glare daggers, but suddenly I felt exhausted. Black spots disturbed my vision and I knew I had to get out the water quickly. I turned back to the empty shore on the other side and started to swim in a fast pace, though it was hard with my heavy pack on my back and the knife that was still stuck in my arm.

My arm screamed in protest as I tried to use it to swim, so I swam with only my left arm. After what felt like swimming for hours I finally reached the riverbank and climbed onto the rock surface with much difficulty. Never before had I hated swimming more than that moment.

I crept a little further on the land, but then my arms gave in and I fell face down on the ground. I groaned in pain and turned on my back, then tried to sit up. Finally I had the time to look properly at the wound the knife caused and saw how it had ripped my jacket where it was embedded.

From across the shore I could faintly hear Glimmer's voice and how she wanted to go after me, but someone else told her not to. When I looked up, they were slowly beginning to walk away- only Cato lingered.

Not being able to think something of the fact he was watching me struggle, I brought my hand to the hilt of the knife. As soon as I touched it I whimpered, already feeling the pain becoming worse. I gritted my teeth. This knife had to get out my arm.

I placed my hand around the hilt, biting on the fabric of the neck of my jacket to suppress a scream. _Do it, Marina. Do it!_ Better quick and sharp than slow and agonizing.

I gripped the hilt more firmly and pulled the knife out of my arm, screaming at the tormenting pain. I looked at the knife, the blade covered with dark red blood, and dropped it to the ground. Tears were streaming down my eyes and I sobbed, the pain still tormenting but less sharp than before.

Carefully, I took off my jacket and winced as the fabric grated the wound. Once it was off, I braced myself to look at the wound and I froze as I caught sight of my arm. The wound was deep and even though the water might've cleansed it, fresh blood was already streaming down my arm.

I would bleed to death if I didn't stop the bleeding.

Doing what first came to mind, I grabbed the bloody knife to cut a piece of fabric off my shirt and wrapped the piece around the wound, trying my best to ignore the pain as I did so. Wrapping it around my arm with only one arm was annoyingly difficult, but eventually it worked when I held one strap between my teeth, knotting it tightly around my the wound to stop the bleeding.

I sighed loudly after succeeding and went to stand up and look for my pack, but immediately fell down to the ground and saw how the light of the rising sun faded more and more, until all was black.

Something that sounded like a bell made me wake up, and I groggily brought my knuckles of my fist to my eyes. I squinted against the light and firstly I became aware of the pain in my arm. I sat up and placed my hand over it, wincing slightly as I did so.

I looked around to see what the sound was, but gasped in relief as I saw a parachute a few feet away from me. A sponsor!

I crept on my left arm and knees towards the parachute and eagerly opened the case. Inside was a small can and a note:

 _'Apply thickly, anti-infection. Hold on, hun – Finnick'_

I smiled and opened the can, which revealed a white cream, then unknotted the piece of fabric around my arm. The fabric was drenched with blood, but it at least helped to lessen the bleeding. I stood up and walked over to the water and lowered my arm all the way down into the water, cleansing it carefully with my other hand.

It still hurt as hell and I gritted my teeth to stop myself from groaning in pain. I went back to the sponsor gift and started applying the cream thickly onto the wound, like Finnick advised me to. The groan I tried to suppress escaped nevertheless as I touched the deep cut, but I determinedly kept spreading it.

After I washed the piece of fabric in the water and putting it around my arm again I went to search through my pack; everything was soaked. The food I had stolen from the Cornucopia was wet and almost inedible and the t-shirt I was planning on wearing was drenched with water.

I stood up and looked at the sky to find out what time it could be. I knew I hadn't been unconscious for very long, perhaps only a few hours, because I was still wet. Seeing the sun's location in the sky I realized it had to be late morning, maybe around 11 o'clock?

The rest of the day and the next one I spent on this side of the river, mostly wandering through the small forest and catching fish by the river.

It was on the fourth morning of the Games that I suddenly caught sight of flames and smoke on the other side of the river, making me part my mouth in horror. It appeared the Gamemakers finally let the tributes know they were still there, and making us realize that with only one move they could kill you on the spot.

That night I crossed the river again, then started walking to the Cornucopia, where Dara and I would meet in a few hours.

Luckily, this time the _whole_ walk was uneventful and Dara was already there when I arrived. I nodded in greeting, but she only gave me a thoughtful look.

"They haven't returned to the Cornucopia since the fire", she said as she looked back at the empty field. I did a second take and realized it wasn't entirely empty; a boy was sleeping on the ground underneath the canopy. I couldn't see who it was because ot was dark, but it was definitely not someone of the pack.

"Who's that?" I asked, nodding to the boy.

"You haven't been observing, have you?" she asked in return, eyes narrowing. Then she eyed the fabric around my arm and eyed me again, slightly concerned. "What happened?"

"The Careers happened."

"How?"

"Stumbled upon the girl from 8 with a fire," I began and Dara rolled her eyes at the girl's stupidity. "Told her to put it out before leaving and a minute later _they_ came, and she called my name for help."

"Darn", she said, pulling a face.

"Yeah," I nodded and went back to look at the pyramid. "So no stealing tonight?"

She shook her head. "I'm afraid not," she replied. "The boy's from 3. He's been busy setting booby-traps around the pyramid. I don't know if they're activated or not."

"What?" I gasped with eyes wide. "Shit!"

She nodded and narrowed her eyes. "Give me your goggles," she almost ordered and when I sent her a questioning look, she sighed and rolled her eyes. "The night-vision glasses."

"Oh," I said and grabbed my pack from my back, handing the glasses over to her, "here."

She eyed the wet state of my backpack but said nothing and put on the glasses. "These are good", she said and I nodded, but we both focused on the pyramid.

"What do you see?" I asked curiously.

She tilted her head a bit, obviously thinking hard. "They aren't activated yet," she replied, sounding somewhat relieved. "They are only placed, but none of the mines are activated. Tonight might be a good time to see where the mines are exactly." She put off the glasses and handed it to me as she continued. "The Careers might be smart, but we're smarter. Come on."

And like that she tip-toed out of the forest, me following close behind. The boy from District 3 was still asleep, not noticing us at all. As we came closer we saw the spots where the mines were buried clearer and tried to avoid them by hopping over them, so that the next time when the mines were activated, we would already be ready for it.

Once we arrived at the pyramid we grabbed the same things as the previous time: food, medicine, water and an extra t-shirt. We left the Cornucopia for what it was and I followed Dara as she sprinted not to the forest, but down the hill to the lake.

"What are you doing?" I asked as we slowed down near the water. "Why aren't we going back to the forest?"

"Because the Careers are somewhere out there," she replied quietly. "I want to know why they haven't been back since the fire."

I shrugged and went to sit down on the grass. We both watched how the Panem symbol appeared in the sky and listened to the anthem, but there were no deaths. Since the girl from District 8 with the fire, no one died. I wondered if the Gamemakers were going to do something about that, seeing their fire this morning had been pretty much a fail.

There were thirteen left of us, the main threats being the Careers. I had been right about them: they were furious with me. Numerous of times back in the Capitol they'd warned they would kill me if I didn't join their pack, and I had ignored them and ran off.

I frowned as I thought about the knife Clove had thrown at me, my hand resting on the wound carefully – the dull ache of the cut was still ever present. Cato once said she liked me, so why throw that knife? My frown deepened. Clove could throw better than that: for all I knew she could've hit my back, making me die instantly. How could she have missed me... or did she do it on purpose? Probably not.

Slowly, the darkness was fading away and behind us the sun started to appear. Dara sat next to me in silence, probably also occupied by her thoughts, her brows furrowed and her lips pursed. I wondered what was going through her mind, but jolted up when the sound of a loud cannon boomed through the air.

Twelve tributes left.

I turned to look at Dara. "Wonder who that was", she just said and I nodded in agreement. I thought about praying that it wasn't Hadrian, Peeta or Rue, but I shook my head at myself; I didn't believe in a god. A god could do nothing in this Arena.

We sat there for ten more minutes when suddenly four people burst through the tree line onto the field. Dara and I immediately ducked and scrambled back a little down the hill, but kept on watching them with interest.

I could make them out pretty quickly and watched how Hadrian, Clove, Marvel and Cato all fell to the ground and groaned in what I assumed pain. I frowned and exchanged glances with Dara, who seemed just as surprised as I did. What on earth had happened? And where were Peeta and Glimmer? Which one of them had just died?

We were pretty close to them, and when I squinted my eyes I realized what might've happened. Ten years ago, I was only 7 years old back then, the Arena of that year's Games was full with insects. Poisonous spiders, ranging from so small you could barely see them to as big as a hand, numerous dangerous bugs and stingers.

"They've been stung", I said when I saw a stinger in Hadrian's hand.

Dara looked at me. "By what?" she asked.

I shrugged. "I don't know, I'm not the expert here", I said, giving her a knowing look. Dara was the one who knew at least something about everything after all.

She just grinned and we both turned back to the Careers. They were still on the ground, grunting and groaning. I saw Hadrian trying to sit up and pull the stinger out of his hand. Then he brought his hand to his neck and pulled one out there as well.

I felt Dara nudge me in the side and I sent her a questioning look but she was already looking at something in front of her. I followed her gaze and saw Cato stumble away from the group.

"I'm gonna… get some water", he croaked out, and too late I realized he was walking – a little bit slower than usual – towards the lake, right where I was hiding. I looked around but saw no sign of Dara anymore; she had probably already taken off, thinking I was close behind.

I half walked half crawled away to stay low, but froze when I heard his voice.

"Marina?" I heard him behind me and was awfully surprised by the way he said my name: cautious, confused and… soft. I swallowed thickly and turned around slowly, my hands raising as a sign of peace just like the girl from District 8 had, but I saw he wasn't holding a sword.

I studied his face and came to one conclusion: he looked like shit. In his right cheek was a stinger, the skin around it a bright red and starting to swell. As I studied him further I saw he was stung multiple times all over his body, but when my eyes found his face again I saw that undeniable smirk on his face, the softness all gone.

"Well, look who we have here…" he said and I stepped back when he stepped forward. Even though he was stung by what seemed to be a poisonous bug, he still managed to look threatening. I swallowed again when he took another step closer, but suddenly his eyes rolled to the back of his head and before I knew it, he fell to the ground, eyes closed.

He laid disturbingly still.

My eyes widened and I didn't know what to do. I looked around to see if the others had seen Cato fall down, or worse: if they'd seen _me_ , but they were too busy with removing the stingers, their backs turned to us.

I turned to Cato again. He was no doubt unconscious and that only confirmed that the bugs were indeed poisonous.

 _Cato is unconscious_ , I mused. This was the perfect opportunity to kill him; he wouldn't even feel it. If I killed him, the biggest threat in the Arena would be gone. Eliminated.

I walked to his body, still lying in the grass almost lifeless. As I walked closer, I grabbed one blade from behind my backpack and crouched beside him. I was this close.

If I killed him, there'd only be eleven left, the Careers being lost without him. Right now, the odds were in _my_ favor. Right now, _I_ had the power to change everything in the Games. Just one move and I would cut his throat with my blade.

I raised my arm holding the blade and bit my lip. I was this close. _You can do this, Marina_ , a voice said in the back of my head. _You did it with the boy from 7, so why not now, huh?_

I bit my lip harder and shut my eyes for a second, then opened them again. _But he is just like the girl from 8_ , another voice reasoned. _He didn't make any move to attack you_.

 _He's a murderer,_ the devilish voice retorted harshly. _Just like you._ _So don't back out now._

I shook my head. No, I wasn't a murderer. I didn't _want_ to be a murderer. Now that I looked at his face… he looked so different when unconscious: no smirk, no cocked eyebrow, no arrogant face, but soft yet still strong looking.

 _Don't let them change you into a monster like they did with me_ ', Eridan's voice rang again through my head.

And that made me drop my blade. I just couldn't do it.

I just couldn't kill Cato.


	11. Chapter XI

**CHAPTER XI**

 **Hey you guys!**

 **Another chapter for ya! I wondered what you were thinking of last chapter, since there haven't been any reviews after publishing it (Except for _angelic-bitch_! thanks!) ? So, please tell me what you think!**

 **So this chap is a bit shorter and more dialogue, next chapter will have more action! I'll update that in two/three days!**

 **Anyhow, enjoy this chapter and pretty please... REVIEW! THANK YOU!**

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"You fucking owe me", I grumbled to myself and almost tripped over a roots sticking out of the ground. I knew I was doing the most stupid thing I could do in the Hunger Games, far worse than lighting a fire in the middle of the night, and I almost regretted it. Almost.

I hissed in pain as a sharp pain went to my upper arm, protesting against what I was doing.

Cato was heavy as hell with his tall and broad muscled body, and I had been dragging him for twenty minutes straight. I could only hope that nobody would see me, though no doubt Dara knew what I was doing now. I could imagine her anger and confusion right now all too well.

Next to that I wondered if the other Careers were already searching for them, or if they were passed out just like Cato.

I let go of Cato's arms after dragging him to a big tree and stood back up straight, taking in my surroundings. The trees here stood a little closer together and there were lots of bushes, providing me shelter and safety to tend to his wounds.

Luck finally seemed to be by my side; I immediately spotted a bush of the healing plant I was looking for. I plucked some leaves and crouched beside Cato. He was stung a lot of times and I hadn't been able to pull all the stingers out – the stingers on his torso and his back were still embedded in his skin.

For a moment I hesitated if I should help him, but I knew I couldn't turn my back on him now. I was this far already. Carefully, my eyes darting to Cato's face as I did so, I lifted his shirt up a little, revealing his bare skin. It felt wrong do this, but as soon as I saw two big humps, the skin around the stingers a flaming red, I instantly got to work.

I removed the stingers and placed two fingers on the first hunch to push the pus out of the wounds. I pulled a face in disgust but continued with the next one. The whole process, including putting the healing leaves on the places where he was stung, I did with haste, a bit afraid for him to wake up.

After the wounds on his stomach I lifted his shirt more to see if there were any stingers on his chest, and I had to swallow as I did so, eyes going back to his face and back to his chest again. I knew Cato was muscled, that was clear from his biceps alone, but to actually see the six-pack…

I shook my head at myself and pulled his shirt down again, seeing no stingers there. I couldn't look at him like that. Not like the way Glimmer always looked at Hadrian. Cato was a monster and even though I was helping him, he was bad news. No, I could _not_ look at him like that.

I rolled him over with care and went to work on the one wound on his back. I tried to ignore the fact that his back was also toned with muscles, having to pull the shirt all the way up to his neck since the stinger was between his shoulder blades. Then I realized I also could've just pulled the neck of the shirt down and I pursed my lips in self-annoyance.

After a few minutes I was all done and rolled him back with his face up. I sat next to his unconscious body with my knees pulled up and studied his face with sheer curiosity. Cato's features looked soft now, like the moment in the training center when he had looked at me in that weird, almost vulnerable way.

Who was this boy, I suddenly wondered. Who was he before the Reaping? What were his interests? Did he have a brother or a sister? How were his parents? Did he have many friends? Normally when you meet new people, those are the most basic things you get to know about them. But here in the Hunger Games, those were things you _didn't_ want to know.

Such knowledge could make you hesitate in killing them.

But I knew he had people back home too. I knew he was trying to survive this like me, even though he had a different way to pursue that goal. He was raised to do this after all, from his eighth! When I was still running around on the beach with Eleanor and Eridan, Cato was already learning how use a sword or how to throw a knife.

I had seen both sides of Cato. The threatening, dangerous side and the human side, once from up close for only a few second, and once from afar for more than half an hour.

"Who are you?" I mumbled quietly, still studying the features of his face.

I didn't know if I expected him to wake up upon hearing my voice, but the only reply was a soft breeze that made the leaves of the trees stir and rustle. I looked away and sighed deeply, then grabbed the pack of my back to cook the fish I had caught yesterday, putting my pickiness when it came to food aside.

The following day I went to the water, attempting and succeeding after a while to catch more fish. I was quite surprised when I came to the realization that it wasn't that bad- well, when you don't have a lot of options, pickiness wouldn't help you out.

The night before I wasn't that surprised to see Glimmer's face in the sky; she hadn't been among the other Careers when they ran onto the field several minutes after the cannon. I did wonder where Peeta was though. Did he lose the Careers by fleeing another way – whatever they had to flee from?

When I came back to where Cato lay – still unconscious – I went to replace the leaves by new ones. I was pleased to see his skin wasn't so red like before, more pink now, and when I lightly pushed on the wounds there wasn't any pus anymore.

I started with the wound on his cheek, then went on with the one on his stomach. Lifting the hem of his shirt, I continued with his chest, but was disturbed by a mumble and a shift of his body. "Lay still", I ordered, but as soon as the words left my mouth I froze.

He was awake.

My head shot up to his face and I saw him swallow and slowly open his eyes. My mind was coming up with a hundred ideas of what to do; hide, run or punch him back to unconsciousness, but somehow I couldn't get myself moving.

He blinked several times and suddenly jolted when his eyes locked on mine. All the peacefulness and softness of his face when he was unconscious disappeared and his eyes were wide.

"What are you doing?" he asked in bewilderment and scrambled back- something I hadn't seen him do yet, I managed to muse even though I was paralyzed.

My hands were still holding the leaves and he eyed them warily, then looked at his torso and the lifted shirt. I could see he was about to say something but stopped short when he saw the wound on his stomach.

"I…" I started, but couldn't bring myself to say any more, looking at the way I had pulled up his shirt. God, how could I have even done this?

"What are you doing?" he repeated slowly, dangerously. It sent shivers down my spine and I scrambled back a bit.

Finally finding my voice, I looked back at his face and swallowed. "I- I was tending to your... your wounds," I stuttered, hating how weak I sounded. "You were stung several times on your cheek, back and–"

"Go away. I don't want your help", he said blankly, and with that he stood up- actually, _tried_ to stand up. His legs wobbled and he would've fallen if I hadn't lunged forward and caught him in time.

I looked up at him. "You sure about that?" I asked smartly.

He shot me an angry glare, then looked down with raised eyebrows. I followed his gaze and let go of him as I realized I had been holding him at his waist. I stepped back and cleared my throat. "You should rest."

He frowned. "I don't want your help", he snarled again, but went to sit down anyways, though slowly and carefully. I bit the inside of my lip, then sat down as well.

For a long time we sat in silence, just eyeing each other warily, then looking away again. I realized I was lucky that he was injured, otherwise he would've definitely attacked me after waking up. Now, he couldn't even stand properly. I wondered what he'd do once he was well enough again. I guess I haven't thought this through so well.

A few times I caught him looking at my arm – the bandage was still around the wound, then he'd look away with an expression on his face I couldn't place.

"You look like shit", he suddenly said. I huffed and looked away after locking eyes with him. "Look who says it", I bit back.

We were quiet once more and as I looked at him again, I saw him frowning at the ground, as if not knowing what to say.

The sky started to darken and I began making the beginning of a fire, glad I could occupy my mind with something useful.

Cato huffed, not yet understanding what I was going to do. "You're as dumb as that girl from 8."

I narrowed my eyes at him, pausing with what I was doing and feeling anger rise. He had killed her. He had killed that sweet-looking, innocent girl. What had she done wrong to him?

I guess existing.

I bit my lip and tried not to think about the girl and went to cook the fish I had caught today quickly before the smoke could rise in the air. After the fish was cooked well enough, I stomped it out and looked at Cato.

He raised an eyebrow. "What? Do you want me to praise you now that you know how to cook?" he asked. "Well, good job, Marina, I think you'd make an excellent housewife."

I rolled my eyes. "You know what, Cato? I was actually going to be nice and give you half of the fish, but never mind that."

He only snorted and looked away. "You aren't even capable of being nice", he muttered, plucking on the grassy ground.

I straightened up, fury rushing through my body. "Not capable of being nice?" I repeated hotly. "I might just think I've been way too nice to you! I took care of your wounds, you fucking asshole!"

"Well, if you hate me so much, why did you, huh?" he asked, getting just as angry as I was even though he had no reason to. "Why didn't you kill me while I was unconscious?" He ripped a hand full of blades of grass out of the ground and tossed it in the remains of the fire. "Why did you of all people have to help me?!"

"Because I couldn't kill you!"

Silence.

I swallowed and looked at the remains of the fire, at the sparks that were still there. I felt stupid for saying that out loud. It made me look weak, like I was unworthy of being a victor. If I couldn't kill, then how was I going to survive? It was kill or be killed, everyone knew that.

The stupidest thing was that I knew Cato _would_ have killed me if he had the chance. I knew that much because of him chasing me. How he told the others to go after me.

Why had I even helped him? I could've just gone away, leaving him there by the lake. But I didn't. Instead, I had dragged his damned body all the way to this place, removed his stingers, tended to his wounds and changed the leaves twice.

"I… couldn't kill you", I repeated quietly, still not looking at him.

He said nothing so I made myself busy as I grabbed the two sticks with fish. I tossed one at him and ate one myself.

I looked at him, seeing he was holding the fish skewer with a disgusted look on his face. I wanted to say something about it, but bit my tongue and kept quiet. I continued eating, feeling his eyes on me as I did so.

Once I was done, I looked up at him again to find him studying me with a curious gaze. I frowned a bit as his eyes traveled to my wounded arm once more, but this time he spoke up.

"How's your arm?" he asked and I couldn't help but be surprised at the question. Why was he so interested in it if he wanted me dead?

"Fine", I replied coolly, shrugging my shoulders, though it was not fine at all. There was always this dull ache, sometimes becoming sharper if I used the arm. Suddenly I realized I hadn't checked on the wound for nearly two days, ever since Cato had stumbled upon me.

I scooted backwards and eyed him warily before turning my side to him, then undid the knot of the fabric around the cut.

The wound didn't look very good. Even though Finnick had given me anti-infection cream, I hadn't used it in two days and the skin around the cut was an unhealthy yellow. I hissed as I brought my hand to the cut to touch it carefully. It still hurt.

I grabbed the small can of cream and applied a thick layer. I couldn't help but feel uncomfortable, still feeling Cato's eyes on me. I looked up at him, pausing with what I was doing.

"What?" I asked, seeing he was indeed watching me while I tended to my wound.

"How did you get that?" he asked and nodded to the cream.

"Sponsors", I said and went back to applying the cream.

"You got sponsors?"

I closed the can, put it in the bag and turned to him. "Yes, why so interested?"

He said nothing and tossed some blades of grass in front of him. I frowned. "Didn't you get any sponsors?" I asked him with my head cocked to the side.

He shrugged. "Not yet."

"Oh."

I looked up at the sky. It was unsettling to see the same stars and moon I'd see back home, as if I wasn't in the Arena.

I thought back of the times I'd sit on the beach in silence with Eleanor and Eridan. Long before Eridan's Games.

We had nothing to worry about, just the Reapings once the season came. But nothing else. Eleanor didn't have to worry about her little brother yet. I didn't have to worry about my mom losing her well-paid job. And Eridan didn't have the tormenting nightmares yet.

It was just the comfortable silence, with only the sound of waves breaking it.

And we would sit there until the sun set, and sometimes even after that. Sometimes, there was just nothing that had to be said. Sometimes, silence said more than chitchat. Sometimes, silence was all you needed.

I shook my head, trying to clear my mind and grabbed the thin, black sleeping bag out of my backpack. I looked at Cato, realizing he didn't have any supplies now that he was alone, away from the Cornucopia.

He was still plucking on the grass, tossing it away with a force that wouldn't be necessary. He looked frustrated. And cold.

I cleared my throat. "Do you want the sleeping back?" I asked, making him look up.

"No, keep it."

"Really, it's no problem," I said, shrugging. "I'm not even that cold and you're shuddering."

With that, I tossed the sleeping back to him. He caught it easily and sighed. "Thank you."

I raised an eyebrow at him, a grin forming itself on my face. "What did you say?"

"What?" he asked confused.

"What did you just say?" I repeated playfully.

He rolled his eyes as he realized what I was aiming for, unrolled the sleeping bag and went to lay down in it. But I wasn't going to give up that easily.

"Cato, the dangerous and ruthless Career is capable of saying 'thank you'," I mused and in reaction he turned his back to me. "Who would've thought."

"Shut up."

I smirked, even though he couldn't see. "I won't."

"You're childish, you know that?"

I crossed my arms, glaring at his back. "Am not."

He turned back to me, sat up a little and gave me a look, now his smirk evident on his face despite the darkness. "You are."

"I am-" I stopped midsentence and unfolded my arms, then rolled my eyes.

He gave me a satisfied smirk and went to lay down again, this time on his back, not turning away from me.

I sighed softly and grabbed my backpack to use it as a pillow, feeling the grass on my hands as I placed a hand under it. Even though I had slept in the wild for some days now, I still couldn't get used to sleeping on the ground.

"Good night, Cato", I said quietly, wondering if he would say it back. I curled up to my backpack and closed my eyes. Not that I would be able to sleep.

"Good night, Marina."

* * *

 **Thanks for reading and don't forget to tell me what you think!**

 **-xoxo-**


	12. Chapter XII

**Chapter XII**

 **Hey guys...**

 **So sorry that I haven't updated for weeks! But here it is, a brand new chapter! Enjoy this one :)**

* * *

The past days in the Games, I always woke up with a start. Most of the times it involved nightmares. I'd wake up with the feeling I was being choked to death, cut in pieces or pierced with a spear. I'd have that brief moment of disorientation, not knowing where I was.

But somehow, today I woke up slowly. With the sound of birds getting more and more clear, then feeling the control of my body gaining and then I opened my eyes. I knew exactly where I was and with who…

And gone was the peaceful moment.

I blinked and sat up straight, then sighed as I saw that Cato was still asleep. I stood up and looked down at him. One of his hands was clenched in a fist, as if clutching something with all his might. On his face was a frown.

I guess I wasn't the only one with nightmares then.

I yawned and grabbed my pack to put it on my back. A new day meant that I'd have to get some food, whether fish or a squirrel. I always gave up hunting on land rather quickly, the wild life was too quick, and I always had better luck by the river, catching fish. Even though I didn't have a spear, throwing knives at the fish close to me could do the job pretty fast.

I started hunting in the forest nonetheless, trying not to make any sound as I walked over the grassy ground. I had the knife Clove had thrown clutched in my hand.

Fairly quickly, the first rabbit appeared. It hopped out of the bushes right in front of me, seeming oblivious to me. In a reflex I threw the knife, but it was too fast and I missed. I sighed as I watched the rabbit sprint away, then picked up the knife from the ground.

After half an hour or so, I managed to get a nice, fat and slow rabbit. Good, that meant enough meat for the both of us. Even better; I wouldn't have to eat more fish. I grabbed the rabbit and couldn't help but feel some remorse as he stopped twitching in my hands.

Only a month ago I was still busy saving animals in need, like sea turtles or even dolphins getting trapped in the nets of fishing boats. And now I had killed a rabbit. Oh, and a boy around my age.

I shook my head to clear my mind and went back to our little camp, before Cato would see I wasn't there and start to worry-

I chuckled to myself and shook my head again. Cato? Worry about me? No, that was ridiculous.

An hour later I arrived and froze when he wasn't there. The sleeping bag was still unrolled, but for the rest there was no sign of Cato. I sighed and sat down by the remains of the fire. So much for him worrying about me.

Maybe he went back to the others. To Clove, Marvel and Hadrian. Yeah, that was plausible. Well, I guess our short… what was it? An alliance? A truce? Anyway, whatever it was, it was probably over.

I grabbed the knife again and started, even though I had dreaded this from the beginning of the 'hunt', with skinning the rabbit. I pulled a face, swallowing the bile in my mouth away. _God this is gross_ , I thought with disgust as the blood seeped out of the rabbit's body. Was it even supposed to bleed like that?

"What the hell are you trying to do?"

I jumped and almost dropped the knife, though I recognized the voice immediately.

"Dara, thank god," I said relieved and looked behind me to see her stand there, a disgusted look on her face. "I don't think I can do this. I thought I'd be able to skin this rabbit, but I think I'm gonna puke..."

She eyed the dead rabbit in my hand, then looked back at me. "Do you even know how to do that?"

I grinned sheepishly and looked at the lifeless creature, then shrugged. "I saw a tribute do it two Games ago…"

"Oh God," she said, shaking her head in dismay, and walked over to me. She nodded to the knife in my hand. "Give it to me."

Wordlessly, I gave the dagger to her and she grabbed the rabbit out of my hand and laid it on a trunk a few feet away. She got to work quickly and I watched amazed, if a little bit disgusted, but still, amazed.

"Where did you learn that?" I asked as I moved over.

She shrugged as she continued skinning the rabbit. "I asked the expert at one of the survival stations", she replied. I nodded.

Dara paused and turned to me with a look I recognized from earlier, when we first talked in the Training Center. Like I was a puzzle to be solved. "Why are you helping him?"

For a second I didn't understand what she meant, but then I realized who she was talking about. "He was hurt", I replied a little dazed at the sudden question. I shouldn't have been surprised she knew: Dara was the observing one, not me. I knew she didn't like the idea of me with him, she was my friend after all, and I could see it one her face.

"So? You should've killed him."

"I… I know," I almost whispered, not looking at her, but the half-skinned rabbit. "I couldn't."

She frowned. "Why?" she asked urgently. "He killed half of the tributes that were in the Cornucopia during the Bloodbath. He killed that boy from 6. He killed my district partner. He doesn't deserve your help."

"He's probably already gone anyways", I said as I looked around.

"No, he's down the river, washing himself," she said with a sly smile. "If I had a weapon, I would've killed him right there, nice body or not."

I couldn't help but straighten up at what she said first and ignored the part about killing him. "He's still here?" I asked surprised. Apparently he was able to walk again, why in heaven's name would he stay?

"Yes," she said and suddenly stood up, handing the bloody knife to me. "Enjoy your meal together." And with that, she walked away, leaving me behind and yet again, with a frown.

I eyed the rabbit warily, as if it could come to life and hop away any moment. It was neatly skinned, without a lot of blood, except the places where I had started though.

 _And now what?_ I thought, dagger in my hand, rabbit on the trunk. _Cut it in pieces?_

As horrid as it sounded, it was the only thing that came in my mind. With a sour face I started readying the rabbit to be cooked, cutting it in pieces and having trouble with the bones. I had no idea how to do this sort of thing and I wished Dara hadn't left this task to me. From what I'd seen, she seemed to have done this before, that much was obvious.

I grabbed a few sticks from the ground and skewered the pieces of rabbit on them, then started making a fire.

According to Dara, Cato was still close and had chosen to stay here with me for whatever reason, so that meant I had to share. Luckily the rabbit had been rather fat, so we had more than enough.

Just when I was busy cooking the first skewer, Cato arrived. His blonde hair was messy and dripping with water, his shirt looked damp and clamped to his torso. So Dara was right; he had been washing. Why would washing take him that long?

Needless to say, he looked quite… handsome like that. Who was I kidding? Really handsome.

 _Oh shut up, Marina_ , I growled inwardly to myself, swallowed and went back to cooking. Not only was Dara right about the fact he had been washing, but also about the fact that he was a _murderer_. Something that I shouldn't – _wouldn't_ forget.

He said nothing and I watched him as he sat down by the fire and used the hem of his shirt to wipe his face dry, showing his abdomen. I looked away, cursing the fact that even though I had a tanned skin, I could feel the red on my cheeks.

"You went to hunt?" he finally assumed as I handed him the skewer and I nodded. He studied the meat with a frown. "What is it?"

"A rabbit."

"A rabbit?" he repeated with a hint of surprise. "You skinned and cut it all by yourself?"

I paused and looked up at him. _No, but if I said that, you'd hunt Dara down and pierce_ her _with a skewer, wouldn't you?_ "Yes, I did," I lied, watching as he carefully took a bite. "Is it okay?"

He chewed on it thoughtfully. "Better than the fish."

I nodded in appreciation, getting that compliment on my cooking skills after all – even though I didn't deserve it all; I had to give Dara some credit.

"How are your stings?" I asked him after I finished my last skewer.

He shrugged. "Better."

"Good."

We sat in front of each other, and I found myself looking at him and looking away if our eyes met on occasion. I felt restless; we were hanging around the same spot for too long. It was likely that other tributes would easily stumble upon us here.

"We should move," I finally announced and grabbed my stuff together. Not that there was much to pack or something. I stood back up straight and saw he was still sitting on the ground, frowning at the remains of the fire. "Can you walk?"

His head shot up at me, confusion on his face for just a second, then stood up and had that typical smirk of his back on his face. "How else would I've been able to go wash?"

I nodded once, ignoring his retort, and wiped the still bloody knife off on a leave that hung on a low branch. Then I put it in my back, adjusted the twin blades and swung the backpack over my shoulder. "Let's go."

He took the lead, which wasn't so surprising. I mean, he was Cato; the leader of the Career pack.

I stopped dead in my tracks. _Cato. Leader of the Career pack._ I thought about what I'd said. _'We should move_ '. We. What was I thinking? How could I've just thought he would stay?

Still… he accepted nonetheless. Where was this truce going?

"You coming?"

My head snapped back to Cato, who was faced to me with a questioning expression on his face. Only now I noticed I had been staring intently at my feet before he pulled me back into reality.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Sorry."

I started walking again, following his lead, taking in my surroundings. I wondered what he was thinking about this whole… _thing_. Was it even a thing? The Capitol surely would've believed so. Ever since that picture from us in the Training Center, they'd been ecstatic – at least, according to Finnick. I didn't know how he knew that, probably because of his conversations with sponsors.

I also wondered about my parents. What would they think of this? About the fact that I had sided with the tribute with the most kills on his list. And Eleanor and Eridan? What about them? I liked to think they were shouting at the TV screen back home, and the thought made me smile a little. They were always so protective. We always were of each other.

As we walked further, the trees began to stand closer to each other. I briefly wondered why he chose to walk this way, but didn't even get time to finish the thought since I was suddenly thrown to the ground. I cried out in surprise, totally off guard as I hit the ground.

I felt his nails dug through my jacket in my arm. I grunted and struggled to push him off of me, but he had me pinned down. Then I caught a shiny flash.

 _Knife!_

"Marina!" I heard Cato shout before the boy was dragged off me and punched in the face. I blinked dazedly and scrambled up, grabbing my blades from my backpack. But I didn't know what to do. The sound of Cato's fist connecting with the boy's nose resonated in my ears. The boy was already lost, nothing could save him. _Just kill him already! Make it quick!_

As if he could hear my thoughts, Cato paused and looked up at me, then eyed the blades in my hands which I had just taken off my backpack. He stood up, towering over the boy whose face was covered in blood that came out of his nose and mouth. "You can have him", Cato said lowly.

It took me two seconds to realize what he meant.

I could kill him.

He attacked me, so the kill was rightfully mine. I looked at the blades in my hands, but when I heard the boy coughing, I looked down at him again. He had no chance. He knew he was going to die. Either by my hands or by Cato's.

I walked closer. That boy was going to kill me, I had seen it in his eyes. He had lost it. The Games had made him go crazy _. So if he was going to kill me, why couldn't I do it to him?_ I had every reason to. Anger was rising up inside me. I _wanted_ to. Who was he to take my life? To think he was better than I was, to think _he_ deserved to be a victor, not me? _I_ had a family too! _I_ wanted to go back to my parents as well! _I_ had friends, people to come back to! And with him living, I wouldn't be able to. It was kill or be killed, and right now, right now I wanted to kill.

Slowly I almost crept closer to his body. He looked pathetic with the blood on his face, too dazed to even stand up, to run for his life. It was like he accepted it. Like he was okay with dying here in this damned forest, in this damned arena. For some reason, that made me even angrier. Why didn't he fight?

My grip on the hilt of my blade tightened. I only heard his shallow breathing, but then I realized he was actually whispering. Was he begging for his life after all?

No, he wasn't. The boy was whispering names. _Sarah. Tom. Lexie. Sarah. Tom. Lexie._

 _No!_ I screamed at myself. _Don't let him make you hesitate! Don't you let him!_

Before I knew it, I felt my blade go through his limp body. His eyes widened and he gasped for air, blood pouring out of his chest, seeping down to the forest ground.

Eyes closed. Body lifeless. Boom. Cannon.

I opened my eyes again, only then realizing I had them closed.

The only thing I could hear was the voice in my head, screaming.

 _What have you done?!_

* * *

 **You might hate Marina now, or you might hate me. But don't give up on her/me/us yet! Stay tuned for the next chapter and please... review!**

 **-xoxo-**


	13. Chapter XIII

**CHAPTER XIII**

 **I want to apologize. I'm truly sorry for keeping you waiting. I have no excuse but one, however, you'll probably skip this and go straight on to the story. Anyways, before publishing this story, I had twelve chapters finished. And as I updated, I didn't really write any more chapters, so I had to write _and_ rewrite this chapter a LOT of times.**

 **So keep in mind, I'll probably update less frequent (just like I'm already doing, sorry for that).**

 **BUT, I promise you, you're going to like this chapter. I swear. It's a bit of a gap-filler, but no less important.**

 **Anyhow, I gotta go. My best friend is dragging me to a school dance tonight so she can see her crush 'or something', so I have to rush. She doesn't know I write fanfiction (UNLESS she reads this and knows this best friend is her, lol).**

 **Well, enjoy this chapter and I'll see y'all next time.**

 **Oh, and wish me luck for tonight.**

* * *

I dropped the blade. I sunk to the ground. I looked at my hands.

The hands of a murderer.

I had killed someone.

Again.

And it wasn't even in the heat of the moment.

It was my choice.

What had I done?

"Marina?"

I felt Cato approach me, but I wouldn't look at him.

Ruthlessly. I was ruthless when I had killed the boy. _Sarah. Tom. Lexie._

Who were they? His sisters and brother? Mother, father, sister? Girlfriend? Best friends?

Hypocrite. I was a hypocrite.

I had called Cato a murderer, a cold-blooded killer, a monster. But that was me. I was the monster.

Eridan. His voice rang through my head like a gun. _"Don't let them change you, Marina. Don't let them change you into a monster like they did with me."_

Eleanor. I had made her a promise, didn't I? I'd come back to her, that was I had said. She made me promise. _"In three weeks, you will be back here, safe and sound. You understand?"_

Byron. I had asked my parents to send him to his room if I were to get killed. I furiously hoped they had sent him to his room when I _killed_ that boy from 10.

I killed him. Don't know if I said it aloud or only thought it.

"Marina?"

"I… I killed him…"

"Marina!"

"What?!" I shouted and turned to him. I wanted to cry, but somehow the tears didn't come. It was like I wasn't able to even look remorseful. It was like my face just wouldn't show the regret I felt, the shock that was going through my body.

"You're hurt." He was looking at my side.

"What?" I said again, but now in confusion and looked down as well.

I gasped as I took in the sight of a huge cut, perhaps even worse than the one Clove gave me. The wound looked awful: it was deep and blood poured out of it like water out of a tap.

"Oh…" I mumbled and in all the sudden I felt it as well; the adrenaline leaving my body only to be replaced by a throbbing pain. I brought my hands to the cut, but didn't dare to touch it.

"Shit", Cato hissed and came closer.

I looked around for my pack, only to realize it was still on my back. "I, uh… I need to… I have to stop the bleeding," I said, wanting to grab my extra t-shirt. "I have to stop the bleeding."

My mind was fogged, running on the things I had learned when I was a kid. I winced at the pain as I struggled to get the backpack out of my back.

"Marina, stop," Cato said and steadied me by placing his hands on my shoulders. Why did he do that? Was I out of balance? I didn't know. I didn't understand. "Marina, sit down. I'll do it."

"But I… I need to… I need to stop the bleeding…"

"Sit down and let me take care of it", he said slowly and I nodded.

"O-okay," I mumbled and went to sit down against a tree. The wound didn't even hurt that much anymore. Now that I realized it, I didn't feel anything. "Just be… be careful, okay?"

I closed my eyes and heard him go through my pack, but then I didn't hear that much anymore. I heard him talk, I heard him tell me to stay awake, but I just couldn't. It all got quieter and quieter, as if the volume was being turned down. Sleep was just too inviting.

"You're awake."

I sat up and brought my knuckles to my eyes groggily, as if I'd just had a long nap. For a moment I had to remind myself where I was and what had happened before I looked down at my side.

The boy from 10. The cut.

Me killing him.

A feeling of nausea rushed through my body and made me want to throw up. Luckily I was able to hold it in.

The sun was still shining brightly I noticed as I looked up, seeing the blue sky above the tree tops. How long was I out? An hour? A whole day.

"You slept for a few hours", I heard Cato's voice say as if he could read my thoughts, and I turned to look at him, wincing slightly at the protest my side was giving.

I nodded slowly and looked back at the wound, lifting my shirt a little. There was bandage around my torso, covering the wound. There were no bloodstains.

"Sponsors?"

Cato nodded. "They seem to like you."

After half an hour or so of eating a little and drinking some water – Cato had finally received his first sponsor gift, which was food, enough for the both of us – we slowly started to get moving again. He helped me stand up, which made me frown a little. Since when did he care?

Before we started walking, I undid my pack from my back and held it out in front of me. Cato looked at me with raised eyebrows. "Take the twin blades."

His eyebrows raised even higher, and he eyed the backpack. Then he shook his head. "No," he said, "you need them."

"I don't want them."

He frowned. "You're not strong enough to just fend off another tribute without a weapon", he reasoned.

"Why do you care?!" I half asked, half shouted. "Seriously, just take the fucking blades! I don't want them."

I didn't look at him long enough to see what emotion was written on his face. I didn't want to see it. I looked down at the ground, waiting for him to take the blades off my backpack.

A second later he did so, carefully, as if too much movement would make me snap again. As soon as they were out of the laces of my pack, I sighed. It felt like the backpack weighted less than with the blades, and I put it on my back again.

Now we could go.

We were walking by a small river bank when he announced we were going to have to cross it. There were rocks scattered everywhere, so we had to hop over from one to the next.

Unlike before, Cato walked slower, making sure I kept up with him. I wondered to myself when he had started to think of me differently. Was it the fact I had saved him? Was it the fact he had saved _me_? I didn't know. All I knew was that he _cared_ , just like Finnick wanted.

Because it did make him vulnerable. I had seen it. But I didn't want to think of what I could do with his vulnerability. I didn't want to devise a plot on how to kill him. Because I couldn't kill him. No one. Not after… not after what I'd done to the boy from 10.

Only thinking about it made me want to puke. With every step I took, the question 'what have I done' reeled inside my head. Over and over. This was not guilt. It was worse than feeling remorseful or ashamed. The fact I had taken someone's life on purpose, not only once but _twice_ , almost made me want Cato to kill me.

Though I quickly pushed the thought away with all my might. Instead, I decided to break the heavy silence.

"Tell me about your district", I blurted as Cato held my arm to help me step from one rock to the other.

"Why so interested?" he asked, giving me a side-glance with a cocked eyebrow.

I shrugged. "Just curious."

He looked at me a little longer than needed, then nodded. "You know the mountains you'd see out of the window of our apartments?" I nodded. "On the other side of those mountains is my district."

I thought back of the night before the Games. He still didn't know I was on the roof the same time he was. I had seen him staring in the far-off distance, and I had been right. His daily view was the snow-capped mountains.

"What's it like?" I asked, my curiosity increasing even more.

And that's when I saw it: an actual, genuine smile. It kind of hit me in the face actually. It sounds stupid, but I didn't even know he was capable of it, and I wondered how much he really smiled – and what he was thinking of.

"It's… majestic," he said and I couldn't help but smile myself at the way he said it. "Really. Stone is pretty important there, so everything is sleek with white stone and marble. Gems to be found in the mountains, stately buildings and houses."

"So what do you do at home?"

He paused and for a brief second I could see his eyebrows furrowed as I said 'home'.

"I trained. For this," he answered with a smirk, but then drew his eyebrows together in a pondering frown. "That was all I ever cared about. That was all my parents ever cared about."

I hummed, though I couldn't really understand. How could someone want _this_? How could someone want to see so much death?

"What about you?"

I tilted my head, wondering why he had that deep frown on his face. He obviously didn't want to talk about his home anymore.

I sighed and shrugged. "I saved animals. Mostly sea-animals like turtles..." I trailed off when I caught him chuckling and shaking his head. "What?" I asked offended.

"Nothing."

"There obviously _is_ something."

"No, there's not. Don't worry."

"Cato, tell me."

I stopped walking, causing him to stop as well and turn to me with a bemused face. I couldn't remember doing anything to amuse him. "Why are you laughing at me?" I demanded, arms folded across my chest.

"I'm not laughing at you", he said, but the look on his face told otherwise.

"Liar."

He rolled his eyes. "It's just… I didn't really picture you saving animals. Yesterday you skinned a rabbit. A bunny."

"A _bunny_?" I repeated scornfully. "Seriously?"

He laughed and walked further, me following close behind. "Why can't you picture me saving animals? I'm not a cold-hearted bitch."

When he turned around to help me go to the next rock, I saw his eyebrows drawn in an uneasy frown. His jaw was set, making him look tense in all the sudden. I furrowed my brows as well. "What's wrong?" I asked, and turned my head to look behind me. Had he seen a tribute?

When I looked back, he was looking at _me_ , still with uneasiness.

"You pretty much killed that boy cold-heartedly."

My heart sank. Well, he did have a point. I fumbled with the sleeve of my jacket, looking down at the rock ground beneath me. I breathed in sharply, suddenly seeing the boy from 10 lying under me, looking at me with wide eyes. But there was no life in those eyes.

"You're right," I mumbled, not being able to avert my eyes from the dead boy's eyes. "How could I save animals when I killed two… two boys, both my own age?"

When I could finally pull my gaze away from him and looked up at Cato again, I saw his face had turned hard again, his jaw clenched. "If you want to win, others have to die."

"Yeah…" I said quietly, it was more like a whisper actually. "I guess that's true."

It was silent for a second, only the fast rushing water breaking that quiet.

"Come, we gotta go," Cato said, reaching out a hand. "Before it gets dark."

I nodded and let him help me cross the river, trying not to think about my hand in his too much. Instead, I occupied my mind with the images of Ten, though I didn't know if that was any better.

When we finally crossed the river, I noticed his hand hadn't let go of mine yet. Becoming overly aware of his touch, I felt my arm suddenly shivering, feeling as if electric pulses went through my hand, then spread over my whole body. But… it wasn't unpleasant, I mentally noted.

I don't know if Cato felt the shiver, but suddenly his hand left mine and I immediately clasped my hand with my other, out of nowhere feeling cold. I shook my head to myself, kicking myself in my mind. What was that?

It was nearing twilight when we went to set up camp and made a small fire to cook our dinner. However, before the fire even ignited, a soft sound filled the air around us. Cato and I looked up in confusion, both recognizing the sound as soon as we heard it.

Cato stood up to walk to where the sponsor gift had landed and picked it up. It had a rectangular shape and was bigger than usual.

"For you?" I asked as he studied the bowl, and he shook his head. He handed it over to me, revealing the 4 on the outside of the bowl. I nodded and took it, opening the lid. What was inside I still couldn't see, since there was another lid. I did see a note, and I picked it up to read it.

 _It's going to be okay – Finnick'_ it read, and I smiled faintly, mouthing a thank you. Then I opened the second lid. "Wow", I breathed with wide eyes.

"What is it?" Cato asked curiously, and I grinned.

"Put out the fire," I said and showed the big box filled with food. "Let's have some real dinner."

So we stopped the fire and began eating the meal we had received from the Capitol. For once, I was thankful for them, but it was only for the food.

Only when I suddenly shuddered, I noticed it had become colder. I frowned and looked up. How could the temperature drop so fast? Just a few minutes ago it was still nice?

"Is it me or has it become colder?" I asked and looked back at Cato, who was looking at with curiosity. But after I spoke my thoughts, he frowned as well, then nodded slowly.

"I think so," he replied and looked at the remnants of our almost fully lit fire. "We could make a fire again?"

I looked around, not entirely sure: what if other tributes could find us? But, I reasoned to myself with another shudder, it had become really cold. So I nodded.

We sat close to the fire, huddled together, but still kept a small distance between us. I warmed my hands by rubbing them together, suddenly the image of Cato's hand in mine flashing through my mind. I briefly glanced at him, but he seemed to be zoned out, thinking deeply about something.

"Cato?" I asked softly, and he turned his head sideways to look at me. My brows furrowed in a pondering frown as I stared back at the fire, not entirely sure how I had to formulate my question.

"Yes, Marina?"

"I…" I began, "I was wondering… Why haven't you killed me yet?"

So. There it was. It was finally out. I breathed out, keeping my gaze on the dancing flames in front of me, not knowing whether or not I should expect a reply.

It was quiet for a solid minute. I'd never felt so much awkwardness in my life. Ever. It was quiet for so long, that the thought he'd simply not heard me crossed my mind multiple times. I chanced a glance, only to see he was looking at me.

I could see his Adam's apple bob up and down as he swallowed thickly, making me swallow as well. Why did I always do this? Why did I always have to make it awkward? Why did I have to voice my thoughts, just like always?

But I was curious. I really, _really_ wanted to know why he hadn't tried to kill me yet. Like, I was dying to know why.

"Because you helped me," he finally stated matter-of-factly. "It'd be dishonorable."

I cocked an eyebrow. "But killing all those other people isn't dishonorable?"

His frown deepened and he looked down at the ground. "In order to win, others have to die", he reasoned, though I wasn't convinced.

"But if you want to win, _I_ have to die as well", I pointed out as I looked up at him.

"Yes, but not now."

"Why not now?"

 _Say it_ , I thought, looking at his hands. _Goddammit, say it!_

"Because…" he started, looking at me with a weird look on his face I couldn't put a finger on, "because… I'm still going to do what I said. Save you for the finale."

I backed away a little, biting my lips. "You're going to kill me slowly for the whole world to see?" I asked, reciting his words from before the Games.

He shook his head. "No, I'll do it fast, I promise."

"How comforting", I said bitterly, not looking at him.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled softly, "but I have to win… to…"

"…to bring honor to your district," I finished with a huff when he trailed off, "no, I get it. No need to apologize."

It was quiet for another few seconds, but this time I was mad. So he still wanted me dead. After all these days of saving him, him saving me, working together, helping each other, he still… My thoughts trailed of. Of course, I shouldn't have expected otherwise. How could I've been so naïve?

"I don't want you dead, you know", he added quietly as if he could read my mind, and ever so subtle shuffled closer to me.

I looked up at him in surprise. It wasn't _what_ he said that surprised me, but it was _how_ he'd said it. His voice, so much more kind and soft, so different from the times she'd spoken to him before the Games.

"I know," I replied flatly with a nod. "I don't want to die either."

He breathed a laugh, and I couldn't help but crack a smile as well, though I quickly turned serious again.

"Do you think the Games will last much longer?" I asked, curiosity clear in my voice as I looked up.

Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw Cato smile, one corner of his lips turned up. "Would it be weird to say I wouldn't mind if it did?"

Now, what he had said did surprise me, and my head snapped back at him. For a second, I didn't know what to say. A thousand questions went through my head. What did he mean with that? Did he enjoy being here in the Arena? Was it just the killing part he liked? Or… was it because he was with me?

I studied his face for answers, and his somewhat nervous, yet somehow still confident smile gave me the ones I needed. Even though I wanted to get out of this Arena as fast as possible, I found myself saying, "I don't think it would", and I meant it. Because I did enjoy being here with him. He was nice to me, even though it was difficult to get along in the beginning.

I glanced at Cato sideways, only now noticing how close he was to me, but I didn't mind. I realized he was already looking at me- well, staring at me. It made self-conscious, but I was unable to look away once our eyes met. The dancing flames of the fire flickered in his blue eyes, the contrast almost mesmerizing.

My eyes travelled down to his sharp nose, then his cheeks, then his jawline. I suddenly remembered how he had almost traced mine that day in the gymnasium, the feeling being almost exciting. My eyes went to his lips, almost automatically, but I caught myself and looked back at his eyes.

His clear blue eyes were darker than before, and his expression was intense, making me swallow thickly. Before I knew it, Cato's lips suddenly crashed onto mine, surprising me. My eyes widened, but I couldn't help but close my eyes quickly.

I felt his hand on my hip, the other just above my neck. My own roamed to his hair and his chest, and I felt myself melt into him, wanting nothing than to be closer to him. Every rational thought left my mind, and I could only kiss him back hungrily. His mouth was warm, lips tasting like forest – I didn't even care whether or not that made sense – and his lips were so much softer than I could have ever imagined.

And then the kiss broke. I breathed rapidly as my forehead rested against Cato's, eyes still closed. I had no idea what to think of this. It was so sudden… so unexpected. And yet… yet it felt right.

Of all things I expected to find during the Games – pain, victory, death… love was none of them.

* * *

 **And and and? Did you like the kissing scene? I hope I portrayed Cato well, I don't know if I'm contend with how I wrote him...**

 **ANYWAYS, PLEASE REVIEW! THANKS TO** VALENCIA (GUEST) **FOR YOUR KIND REVIEW, I HOPE THIS CHAP'S TO YOUR LIKING.** **Also thank you to those who added the story to their follows/favorites, I hope you like the story as well.** **And again, also to you** angelic-bitch **, sorry for the delay.**

 **Anyways, I'm off to that school dance. Buh-bye.**


	14. Chapter XIV

**CHAPTER VX**

Again, the question 'what have I done' rang through my head. Thinking back on it now as I walked in silence, I wished it had never happened. Because all I could do now, was _pretending_ that it _had_ never happened.

As soon as we broke our kiss, it was like every rational thought came back, pulling is harshly back to reality. We had eyes each other with wide eyes, immediately putting more distance between us. I had watched with still throbbing lips hung open how he suddenly stood up and walked away.

I had put my head in my hands, digging my nails in my scalp in frustration. Tears were streaming down my face, but I wasn't sad. I was just so, _so_ confused. So angry, not at Cato, but at myself. How could I've done this? Why did I give in? I always followed my head, I always thought things through… why not now?

I was convinced Cato had left me, this time for real, but he hadn't. I was staring into the fire when a shadow neared me again. He walked like I had seen him walk on the television screen, during the Reaping. Self-assured. Strong. Cold.

He had come to stop in front of me, looking at me with a blank, emotionless face.

"We should split up", he had said.

"Okay", I had replied.

And now here I was, all alone in this dark forest – well, for as far as I could be alone here. We gave each other a day to find our own way, after 24 hours he _would_ kill me if I came too close. But would I? I didn't think I had the heart to do it anymore.

I stepped over a tree's thick root, my skin suddenly remembering the feel of his hand in mine when he helped me cross the river yesterday. I forced the thought of it out of my mind. I didn't want to think about him. Not now, never. What happened wasn't right, it was the need of being with someone. It only happened because we probably both didn't want to be all alone anymore.

It was a rushed act, it was irrational, it was dumb.

Now that I thought about it, it was what Cato made me do. He made me do things without thinking through, acting like I was someone different. He fucking made me kill someone.

I could draw a conclusion, but I'd just repeat what I'd thought of him the first few days in the Capitol: Cato was bad. And he made me do bad things. Things I would normally _never_ do.

I balled my fists. Never before had I hated someone so much so quickly. _Love._ I had called it 'love' in my head as we kissed. How could I've been so naïve?! How could I let him do this? I pulled a twig out of a low hanging branch, breaking it angrily into tiny pieces and throwing it to the ground again. How could I let him in so fast, without even knowing him well? All I knew was that he was a monster, but somehow… somehow I still managed to feel comfortable near him.

Again I felt that stupid feeling settle in my stomach, and I'd do everything to let that feeling go away. Everything. So I trudged forward in the dark, my eyes already adjusted to the blackness of the night.

I think I walked for a solid five hours without stopping. I have no idea how I managed to do that. It was only when dawn broke and I allowed myself to have a short pause to have breakfast when I suddenly felt the soreness in my legs and feet.

But I didn't let that stop me. I walked further, further, until I came to a sudden stop, a frown upon my face. Looking to my right, I saw an enormous pile of branches, twigs and leaves. Definitely tribute made.

I sneaked closer, carefully looking around, should there be a tribute near. If there was, they were probably watching every move I made. But I had my twin blades strapped on my back, so should I be attacked…

I decided not to finish that sentence in my head.

I reached out to the leaves and came to a conclusion. This pile was made for one purpose: to smoke like hell when it would be lit.

I decided another thing: to get the heck away from this thing before someone came and spotted me.

Therefore, I quickly walked further, trying to wrap my head around the fact someone wanted to light a fire that would smoke so much. Was it meant as a distraction? It had to be. This looked like it was well-planned, carefully devised.

After a walk of approximately twenty minutes, I saw another pile. A frown appeared on my forehead again. Why would someone do this? Whose attention did this tribute want to draw?

I looked around, confusion probably evident on my face, trying to figure out what this plan was about. Then I heard a twig snap. The flip in my head switched to high-alert and I scanned the area around me.

There, behind a thick tree trunk I saw black hair. Big curly hair that could only belong to one tribute.

"…Rue?" I called out softly, hesitantly. The head with black hair jerked a little and a smile tugged up my lips. I walked closer, but stopped when I didn't see the hair anymore. I undid my backpack and grabbed my twin blades, then laid them on the forest ground.

"I won't hurt you, I swear", I assured her, and smiled again when the twelve-year-old girl stepped from behind the tree with wide, chocolate eyes.

I nodded to the pile. "Is this your doing?"

Rue nodded slowly, still heavily on her guard.

"Were you going to light it?" I asked further, and she nodded again, though unsurely.

"It's okay," I said quickly, not liking her distrust, "I won't snitch or something." I paused as I thought over my words, then smiled sadly. "It's not like I have anyone to tell."

At this, Rue frowned briefly and looked at me with questioning eyes. "I thought you were with the Careers?"

I sighed and sat on a trunk that lay on the ground. "Nah, never," I replied. "I immediately went in the forest after grabbing these." I nodded to the twin blades as clarification.

"Oh." She came closer, still a bit uncertain. "But you were with Cato the past few days," she continued and I stiffened, "I might have observed you."

I chuckled breathlessly and shook my head. "I shouldn't have expected otherwise," I said and looked back at her. "But yes, you're right. I was with Cato. We split up yesterday."

Rue nodded slowly. "What exactly is your plan?" I asked confused and curious at the same time.

"Are you… are you loyal to Cato?" she asked in turn, making me frown.

Was I?

I saved him. He saved me. He helped me. I helped him. We… _kissed_. I was loyal to him. Was.

Not anymore. Not after he urged me to kill someone. Okay, _I_ did it, but he made me do it. He made it look like it was just thing to do. Another flame of anger rose in me.

"No. No I'm not loyal to him," I replied. "Why?"

Rue grinned and looked at the pile. "Come, help me light this pile," she just said. "The first one is only twenty minutes back and around half an hour away from the Cornucopia." She looked up. "It has probably already caught the Career's attention."

"But that'll lead them here!" I said in shock and Rue nodded seriously. She picked something out of her pocket. A box of matches.

"Katniss is going to destroy their pyramid. How, I have no idea," she explained. "There's another pile up ahead, we have to light that one as well and get away as quickly as we can."

My mind was reeling. So that was what they were planning on doing. They were going to cut their food and medications short. This… this plan might actually work, I thought to myself. Katniss seemed smart, she could actually do this. I nodded a few times and looked at Rue. "Okay," I said and walked to the pile of leaves and twigs. "Okay, I'll help."

Rue grinned and gave me a match. I quickly swiped it along a tree's trunk and threw it one the pile as soon as a flame rose from the wood. Rue did the same and gave me another one. After two more matches the pile was flaming and smoking heavily.

I eyed Rue, a new plan in my mind. "Why don't you run to the next pile, and I'll stay here to distract the Careers when they come here."

Rue shook her head. "No, Marina," she said determined. "That's too dangerous. They'll kill you."

I grinned. "No they won't," I replied, bucked to pick up a tiny stone and then looked up at the trees. "I'll be in there. Only if they go your direction, I'll throw this rock to distract them."

Rue looked unsure, and I smiled reassuringly. "You're gonna be okay, Rue," I assured her. "You've made it this far on your own already. You're a strong girl, they won't catch you. I won't let them."

I gave her a hug and patted her on her shoulders. "Now go," I said with a smile. "I'll be right here, making sure they won't follow you."

Rue smiled back and nodded, then turned around. She ran away, and I watched her until she disappeared from my sight. Then, I turned to the tree that was most near me and quickly climbed into it.

I had to wait thirty minutes before I heard their voices. I chanced a peek, my heart drumming in my chest as I caught sight of Clove, Hadrian and Cato. Cato. He was his old self again. At least, it looked like it.

"I knew it!" Clove snarled and kicked at a tree branch on the ground in anger. "It's a trap."

"I know," Cato replied, staring into the flames darkly. "Smart. Smart plan this tribute has. I just hope it'll cost their head. We should get back to the Cornucopia."

"Don't you want to know who did this?" I heard Clove ask with venom. "I sure as hell do."

"We'll find out soon enough when their head appears in the sky", Cato said darkly, and I winced at his harsh and cold voice. It sounded exactly like the Cato in the gymnasium, in the beginning of the Games. It made me scared.

In the end, I didn't have to use the stone at all, since they walked back to where they came from. I stayed in that tree for a solid thirty minutes, thinking about… anything really. Well, maybe mostly about Cato. I was still surprised about the fact he could change moods so quickly. It was like he'd never been with me. He had acted so different then…

I shook my head, forcing the thoughts out of my head. It was then when a realization flashed in my mind instead. Clove, Hadrian, Cato.

Where was Marvel?

"When their head appears in the sky…" I whispered, repeating Cato's words. I jolted in shock. "Fuck!"

I climbed down the tree, jumped the last distance between me and the ground, and then ran into the direction Rue went. _Shit, shit, shit!_ Marvel was ahead, Marvel was ahead. He could find her. Fuck. Panic kicked in and I ran and ran.

I didn't know how long I ran, all I knew was that I ran. A dark feeling settled in my belly, feeling that if I didn't hurry up now, I'd be too late.

When I burst through the trees into a small clearing, I realized I was. I was, indeed, too late.

There sat Katniss, arms around a small figure, with dark skin and dark hair. Rue.

I was too late.

I left her alone.

To die.

"No", I breathed, eyes wide, and slumped to the ground.

I didn't even notice Katniss turning around quickly, grabbing her bow and an arrow, stringing it and pointing it at my head. I didn't even hear her scream. I didn't see her face, which was probably full of grieve.

"…What are you doing here?!"

Her voice became more and more clear, and my head snapped up.

"Answer me!" she shouted. "What. Are you. Doing here?"

"I… It's my fault."

"What do you mean? What did you do?"

I looked up at her, wanting to cry, but it was like the tears weren't allowed to escape my eyes. "I left her alone."

Katniss frowned, and only now I saw the tears in her eyes. My eyes darted to the background, widening at the sight of Marvel lying in the grass. For a second, I was glad. I was glad he didn't get away with murdering a child of 12 years old. But he killed her nevertheless.

I looked back at the Girl on Fire. "I… I found her at the second pile," I stammered. "She told me about your plan. I wanted to help. I told her she should head to the next while I would distract the Careers. I didn't… I didn't realize Mar- he wasn't with them."

Katniss' face became angry, desperate. "Why did you leave her alone? Why would you do that?!" she almost screamed, and for a second I thought she was going to shoot me. But instead, she slumped to the ground on her knees, head in buried in her hands, sobbing uncontrollably.

"You left her alone as well!" I exclaimed in surprise, but I shut my mouth, realizing blaming each other for her death would get us nowhere. "Katniss…"

"It's my fault," she breathed with realization, and I started to shake my head and open my mouth, but she cut me off. "If it wasn't for this plan, she wouldn't have died."

I bit my lips. "It was a good plan", I whispered, and looked at Rue's body. I inched closer, but as soon as I saw her face, I broke. Tears finally started streaming down my face.

Out of nowhere, Katniss stood up. I watched her walk away, but she came back soon with white flowers in her hands, and placed them near her head. She walked back to get more, and I quickly stood up to do the same.

We spent hours just picking flowers and placing them beside little Rue, making a bed of flowers for her. Katniss put some in her hands, and gave her a kiss on the forehead. I swallowed and exhaled shakily.

"She was too young", I whispered, not knowing if I said it to her or to myself. I felt Katniss glance up at me and saw her nodding from the corner of my eyes. We just sat there, lost in our own thoughts, when I suddenly felt myself become bitter.

Rue's death was not our fault. I wanted to say it was Marvel's fault, but even that was not true. It was _their_ fault. It was _his_ fault. Fucking President Snow.

I wanted to scream and shout, everything that had happened… I had bottled it up, telling myself crying in these Games could only get yourself killed, whether by the tributes or the Gamemakers. I looked to my side, seeing that Katniss had the same tensed vibe around her as I had.

"We should go," she said, her voice so well kept together that no one would suspect what it was doing to her, "they probably want to pick up her body."

I swallowed again and nodded. "Yeah. You're right."

We stood up, eyes lingering on Rue's face, so soft, so peaceful, as if she didn't die from Marvel's spear. "Katniss," I addressed, and she turned around to me. "I know you don't like me. Well, I actually don't know that, but I know you don't see me as a friend either." I paused and fiddled with my jacket sleeve. "I just wanted to say I'm sorry."

Katniss gave me that unreadable face she always gave people, or at least me. She nodded stiffly. "I never said I didn't like you," she replied and I relaxed in an instant. "But… I do think it's best to part ways."

I nodded quickly. I had never planned on following her, nor Rue. I had planned on helping them, then going to go further on my own. Maybe I'd run into Dara.

"I think so too," I said, then dipped my head to the side. "But do we have some sort of truce? I mean, you won't kill me, I won't kill you?"

Katniss' eyes darted to Marvel's body, something flashing across her eyes. I could almost see her shiver. She looked back at me and nodded. "Deal."

And so again, I parted ways with someone, _again_ with a heavy heart. I turned my head, having one last look on Katniss, and frowned when I saw her look up at something above her, probably cameras. She kissed three fingers and put them up in the air, and I smiled sadly.

In my mind, I did the same, but I walked further as the sound of a hovercraft drew nearer.

* * *

 **Hey again!**

 **This was a tough chapter to write. I didn't know what I wanted to do with the kiss, I mean... I didn't want it to be cheesy or too good to be true in these games, so I that's why I decided to go into this direction.**

 ** **Anyway, I hope you like this chap. I kinda rushed the editing phase, I really really wanted to update again, since I won't be able to write the coming week. My exchange partner is coming to the Netherlands today! She's from Russia, and I can't wait to see her again.****

 ** **I also wanted to say thank you to those who decided to give this story a try and followed/favorited it! And thanks so much**** _K01_ **for your encouraging words! I tried really hard to write the characters like they appeared in the films and books, which is the main reason for Cato and Marina to split up. It just doesn't seem right to have Cato forget about his real purpose in the Games. Something'll definitely happen between the two, but just... not yet.**

 ** **So, if you liked this, please review! Reviews really give me motivation to keep on writing and updating! Love y'all.****

 ** **-xoxo-****


	15. Chapter XV

**CHAPTER XV**

 **Hey there. Long time no see. Sorry 'bout that. I had a hard time continuing this story because of my writer's block.**

 **Buttt! New chapter.**

 **And sorry, you're not going to like this one. I think.**

 **Please review this story! It's what drives me to update!**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Hunger Games. I wouldn't want to be in it either.**

* * *

I hated the Games. I still hate them now. But I'd never hated the Games more than that night after Rue's death. I despised them.

I wished I'd died in the Bloodbath. I wished I didn't have to see her and all the other's faces in the sky after that stupid anthem. I wished… I wished a lot of things as I looked up to the fake stars in the fake sky.

I didn't want to climb in a tree to sleep in; it made me think of Rue. And I didn't want to think of Rue.

Yes, I didn't even know her that well, but still. Little Rue. 12 years old. Like Glan, Eleanor's little brother. What if he was picked next Hunger Games? What if Byron was picked? Next year was the Quarter Quell. What if… _what if_? I shook my head and curled myself up, clutching my knees up to my chin. I couldn't think of next year's Games. Not while I was still in this year's. I shouldn't have gone ahead of myself. I could die tomorrow. I could die tonight.

It's obvious that I didn't sleep that night. Not with that thought constantly swirling through my head.

Only a little before dawn, I dozed off. I think I slept for half an hour. Not more than an hour, at least. So I packed my stuff, grabbed my blades and walked. I didn't care where to. As long as I kept walking. After a few hours I started running. Running always kept thoughts at bay. It cleared my mind. I ran for a long time. Then I slowed in a jog. And then I stopped for lunch.

That afternoon was practically the same song. Walking. Running. Jogging. Dinner.

And every once in a few minutes, Rue's face would flash before my eyes. Then I saw the boy from 10. Then the boy from 7. And sometimes, even though I didn't want to admit it, I saw Cato.

Stupid Cato. Shitty Cato. Fucking Cato.

And then I'd snap a twig in tiny pieces and threw them away, only to have them end up just a few feet in front of me.

With a sigh, I sat down and started a fire. I didn't even care that it might draw other tributes. Let them come. Maybe I'd let them kill me.

Oh, the self-pity. I knew it would come one of these days. It was a matter of how many deaths I'd see. Or how many I'd cause.

"You should walk quieter, you know."

I jumped to my feet, grabbed my blades from my back, and whirled around to slash at whoever was there.

"Wow, wow, wow!"

Dara stood behind me, hands held up as a sign of peace, and gawked at me in surprise.

I lowered the blades. "Jesus Christ, Five!" I snapped. "I could've killed you!"

Dara eyed the blades warily. "So I saw," she muttered. "Chill out, dude."

"Chill out?" I repeated enraged. "Chill out? I don't know about you, but I can _not_ chill out when in the middle of the Hunger Games."

"Will you shut up?" Dara hissed. "You'll lead every tribute and mutt here if you carry on like that."

I opened my mouth to snap something back, and heard myself breathing fast and loudly. I averted my eyes to the ground and tried to calm down. "Sorry."

"No problem," Dara said and went to sit down on a random fallen trunk. "It's what the Games do. Makes you snappy and twitchy. Paranoid. Too careful. Too reckless."

I watched her from my place as she stared at something to my right. I wondered how she was handling this. Everything. She always seemed to everywhere and nowhere at once. How was she always able to find me? "Were you following me?"

Her eyes snapped back to mine as if she was too lost in thought, which I guess she was. She nodded. "Yes. You're damn quick, I have to say that," she replied with a small grin, then she sighed. "I was curious. My mentors always said I shouldn't care about how others feel. That I shouldn't care that others are just like me, trying to survive. But I can't help but wonder how you're doing." She paused and tilted her head. "So… how are you? After Rue?"

I frowned at her. "How do you know about Rue?"

"Because I know everything."

I rolled my eyes and chuckled, though it came out hoarse and bitter. "Things could go better." I looked up at her instead of looking at my feet. "How 'bout you?"

A shadow passed her was gone just as quick as it appeared. My eyebrows quirked a little, slowly becoming concerned. Really, I really hoped she was okay. She deserved to be okay. She was a nice girl, and she had the skills to survive. And the wit.

But what had she faced? A tribute? Only Rue and Marvel had died the last few days. And that boy from 3. Had she faced a mutt? Was that the reason why she was so grim suddenly?

"I have something for you", she said, not answering my question.

Then I saw her leg. Her lower right leg was bound in what looked like a shirt, and it was a dark red.

I opened my mouth, but she shot me a sharp look. I got the message. So instead I watched her rummage through her pack. "I guess you know about the Pyramid of the Careers? Girl on Fire made it explode. I was just in time to snatch some things away." She paused and grabbed something out of it. "Well, it's actually a lot. My pack's heavy. You want some dried meat and fruits? Water? Medicine?"

I watched with wide eyes how she stalled out the food, drinks and medicine. Then I looked at her again. "Are you serious?" I asked confused. "Don't you need them?"

She shook her head. "I already have a lot of things."

I came closer to look in her bag, but before I could see something she zipped the pack closed quickly. I eyed her with my eyes slightly narrowed, but she smiled at me. "Really," she reassured me. "I already have enough. Painkillers, dried fruits and meat as well. I just managed to grab more of each."

Again, I looked at the things she wanted to give me. They'd always come in handy. If I had those, I wouldn't have to spend three hours hunting for food, or fishing. I hated fish. And I hated hunting.

"Okay," I said with a shrug as I grabbed my pack and opened it. "Thanks. I owe you."

Dara nodded curtly.

That night we stayed together without saying another word. It was nice to be with someone I trusted. I wasn't afraid of Dara killing me. We handled things well together. When I noticed she wasn't going to sleep anytime soon, I prepared to sleep. She would have first watch. After a few hours of sleep, she woke me up and we switched.

I was twitchy. Every sound, every noise made me stiffen and look around frantically. I don't think Dara slept. I kept feeling her eyes in my back. Somehow, it actually made me feel safe.

But it also made me think of Cato. Positively. I hated myself when I realized this. Cato was stupid. Cato was shitty. Cato was a dick. There. Over and done. I'd kill him when I got the chance. I would.

Dawn broke. Dara and I packed up.

"I won't follow you this time", Dara said once we finished.

I wasn't surprised. She was meant to be an individual. Not to be in a team.

"I know."

Dara cocked an eyebrow for a brief moment, then nodded. She smiled, though it didn't reach her eyes. "Don't die."

I smiled back and clutched the straps of my backpack. "You too."

And we split up.

I walked. I ran. I jogged.

It was close to noon when I heard a cracking sound from… above. I looked up at the sky in confusion.

 _"_ _Attention tributes, attention. The regulations acquiring a single Victor have been… suspended. From now on, two Victors may be crowned, if both origining from the same district. This will be the only announcement."_

For ten seconds, I could only stand frozen to the ground. The words were floating through my head in chaos. Slowly, painfully slowly, the words got meaning. Two Victors. Same district.

Hadrian.

I bolted, and broke in a run. Only ten minutes later did I realize something. I had no idea where he was. The Careers didn't have a pyramid anymore. They couldn't stay at the Cornucopia.

They could be everywhere.

I groaned. "Shit!"

That whole day I searched. Million thoughts went through my head. Cato and Clove were alive. _What if they kill him? What if they'd expect me to look for him and trap us?_ But I kept looking. I kept running. Until dusk fell, and I almost slumped to the ground in exhaustion.

Tomorrow, I told myself, tomorrow I'd continue my search.

I kept my promise. I woke up without having breakfast, too invested in finding Hadrian. My legs were sore, and I calves were throbbing from the last few days I spent running. So today I started with jogging. I think I covered quite some distance during those runs. I once read about this annual running competition where people run for days, more than 40 kilometers. It was called a Marathon. I wondered as I went from jogging to running again if I could've run that distance. I wondered a lot of things.

But then, I felt my mind slowly starting to empty. Eventually, it was just me, the forest, and the search for Hadrian. Maybe I was running away from him instead of towards. That thought _did_ occur to me every once in a while. But then I shook my head. I could worry about a lot of things, but in the end it didn't even matter. What if a tribute showed up? What if I tripped and broke my neck? Everything could happen.

I slowed down finally when the sun stood high in the sky, right above my head. Time for lunch.

I looked around for a fallen tree trunk, and when I spotted one, I sat down. I sat my backpack on my lap and opened it to grab some dried food out of it. Now that I had it, I was pretty happy with it. Luckily I didn't have to hunt for some stupid bunnies now.

I opened the plastic to eat it. That was, until I hear something snap.

I looked up.

Right in front of me, though a good few meters away, there was a wolf.

But in an instant I knew it was no normal wolf. The glowing red eyes and long, sharp teeth told me as much. It stared at me with wrath and cruelty.

My backpack promptly fell to the ground.

That seemed to bring him to action.

Before I knew it, it surged forward, and I broke through a run.

Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck. A coyote was behind me. A mutt. Fuck.

I ran with all my might. Shit. No. I pushed forward. I ducked for low hanging branches and twigs. I jumped over tree roots. _Don't look back._

I looked back.

Shit, those red eyes. It was fast. And gaining on me. I looked in front of me again. I dodged a tree just in time. I would've _smushed_ against it otherwise. I pushed further. Run. Run. Run! I made a sharp turn to the left.

I heard its growls behind me. I heard its paws with sharp claws on the ground with thuds. I heard my own feet slam against the forest floor.

I felt my breathing quicken so much that I was afraid I'd burst. I felt a sting in my side from the running. And I felt my muscles becoming sorer and sorer. I knew I couldn't run forever. It would outrun me. It would eat me alive. _No!_ I screamed to myself as I ran. _No! Not like this! You can't die like this!_

I gritted my teeth as I pushed further again, and I heard a bitter laugh in my voice. A masculine voice that belonged to a certain blond Career. _You can't run forever, honey._

I couldn't. I couldn't run forever. I looked back again. God, it was close. I turned to the right.

And then it hit me as I ran. I forgot my pack.

I left my blades.

Shit.

This was it. I was going to die.

I heard the mutt breathe behind me.

Sweat was dripping on my forehead. I turned left.

I saw figures in the distance.

A blond boy. A small brunette. A tanned boy.

"MUTT!" I screamed as loudly as I could and pushed further again. "MUTT! RUN!"

It was too late. They saw me too late. I looked back and saw those hungry red eyes.

I should've turned to right or left right then. But I didn't.

Just when I looked back in front of me again I slammed into someone.

We fell to the ground.

I heard screams.

I felt something dig into my arm.

I screamed.

Something smashed the mutt away and it yelped. I rolled over to get off the person's back.

I wanted to see who it was, but I was too busy looking at the mutt. It was still eyeing me. With so much lust and hunger, and–

Someone came into my vision. It was a tanned boy. It took me a moment to recognize him.

"Hadrian", I whispered, and stood up clumsily. Then I saw Clove, looking at the mutt with wide eyes. I felt the presence of someone behind me, who was standing up. I didn't have to look to see who it was.

The mutt was standing still, eyeing the four of us warily. "Everyone," Clove hissed quietly as her eyes darted from the wolf to us and back, "don't move."

It was silent for a few stretching seconds. And then it growled. It bared its sharp, long teeth, and my stomach dropped.

"Run!" Hadrian shouted, and he turned around to sprint away.

"NO!" I screamed.

Everything slowed down that moment. It happened right before my eyes.

The mutt sprang forward to Hadrian, whose back was already turned to the mutt. Its razor sharp teeth dug themselves into his shoulder. Hadrian's eyes widened and he screamed out in pain. He fell backwards, spear falling out of his hand.

The mutt didn't let go. Its teeth sank deeper. Then it moved to his neck.

The blood. Hadrian's face. His eyes.

No. No. No. I couldn't move. I was frozen on the spot. I didn't even have the strength to scream. All I could look at were Hadrian's eyes. They drained from life. They were staring at me. Lifeless.

No.

I didn't even notice Cato stabbing the mutt to death with his sword. I didn't even hear the cannon. I didn't even hear them calling my name.

Hadrian.

Hadrian. Don't die.

No. No. No.

I wished I could stop the time. I wished I'd turned right. I wished I'd died instead. No. Stop thinking that. Stop. Stop.

I hadn't realized I'd fallen to my knees. Someone put a hand on my shoulder. Stop. Stop. Stop.

He was dead. Hadrian was dead.


	16. Chapter XVI

**CHAPTER XVI**

 **I know you hate me. I know. But you that downwards spiral a writer can get into when they are questioning their writing skills and then come to the conclusion they are actually pretty bad at this shit and just take a break for a while? Well, I had that with this story. I'm still a bit unsure where this storyline is going, but I guess I'll find out soon enough. You know, the first mistake I made was to write this in past tense, but I'm not going to change it right now.**

 **BUT I like this story, and** **I won't quit writing it! I just think it will take some time to finish, sorry :/**

 **Anyways, here is the next chapter, I hope you like it! I've rewritten this story THREE TIMES! Three times dammit thanks to Word (I had almost finished the chapter and saved it. Then I opened it and everything I wrote was GONE.) I'm still not entirely satisfied, but I just wanted to update again. I do have a lot in store for Marina and Cato, so I'm going to have fun writing the next chapters!**

 **Thanks to everyone reviewing this story. I have read your reviews over the past months and I am deeply grateful that y'all like this story so much!**

* * *

My hands were shaking. They searched for solid ground for support. I couldn't tear my eyes away from his body. From his neck. From the fatal bite. There was still blood pouring out. From his mouth too. His body was molested. His parents wouldn't have a funeral with an open coffin.

The mutt lay a few feet away from him. I had the feeling it could spring to life any moment.

It was Cato who'd placed a hand on my shoulder. Without thinking I shook it away. Cold replaced where his hand had been.

A trembling hand reached for Hadrian's face, and I closed his once ocean blue, but now lifeless, cold eyes. I gave him a kiss on his pale forehead.

First, I felt numb. As if all the feelings and emotions were sucked out of me. As if I was a vacuum, not able to be filled up.

 _Hadrian is dead._ My mind was reeling with only those three words. _Hadrian is dead_.

I felt a heat rising in my body. Not just a spark or a flame, but a wildfire, ready to annihilate entire forests and cities and everything in its way. In my imagination, it could destroy the entire Capitol and its stupid president.

I stood up and looked down at Hadrian's pale body, my hands clenched in a fist. A voice called for me faintly in the background, and it took me a moment to shake off the ringing of anger in my ears.

I lifted my head to Cato, who stood on the other side of Hadrian's body, looking at me. Then, the sound of a hovercraft reached my ears, growing louder and louder with each passing second.

"We have to go," Cato called over the sound. "Marina. Come on."

I felt a hand grab my arm. My head snapped to Clove in surprise, who gritted her teeth in obvious annoyance—though I spotted some sort of pity—and pulled me away from the clearing. Away from Hadrian. I stumbled after her, pathetically, and we aimlessly jogged for a bit until the sound of the hovercraft left the Arena.

There was a moment of silence as we came to a stop.

That's when I suddenly bended over and the little food I had eaten the past two days left my body. Tears sprang into my eyes as I vomited and I felt like I was choking on my own bile.

Once I was done I kept my hands on my thighs, still bended over, and a pathetic, ugly sob escaped my mouth. This was all my fault. _My_ fault. I killed him! I brought that… that mutt to him, and because of me he was dead!

I couldn't control my mind, couldn't control the thoughts whirling like a hurricane, like a tornado, like heavy rain falling all over the place. My breathing became uneven, and I almost fell to the ground if it weren't for a hand holding me steady.

I hated myself, I hated my guts for being so pathetic, so unstable. I always managed to keep my emotions in check. I always… _managed_. I wasn't able to stop myself from crying right now. Right now, I simply _wasn't able_.

Realizing this and the fact that the hand on my back was Cato's, made me straighten up. I wiped my eyes and my mouth and took a moment to breathe in and out and to square my shoulders. I had to be strong. This vulnerability could cost me sponsors.

"Sorry," I said, finally finding my voice, and turned around to Cato and Clove, stepping back a bit.

They said nothing, but looked down at the ground in silence and in remorse.

"He was a good kid," Cato said eventually, his voice strained and somewhat hoarse. "A friend."

My head snapped from Clove to him, and I opened my mouth to snap something at him, something like that he didn't have the right to call him a friend. But then something caught my eye . The way his right shoulder was hunched forward a bit. My eyebrows furrowed in a deep frown. It seemed…

…out of place.

Without thinking, I stepped closer and touched his upper arm very gingerly. Immediately, Cato winced and stepped back.

He eyed me with a questioning look in his face and my hand shot back. I cleared my throat, feeling a bit awkward, and tried to look nonchalantly worried.

"You're shoulder," I began. "It's dislocated."

He looked at his shoulder and his eyebrows shot up, as if he'd only just noticed it. Then I saw a wince fall over his face, as if he only now felt the pain.

"Does it hurt?" Clove asked, inching closer and studying his shoulder.

Cato carefully put his fingers on his shoulder before I could stop him, and he cringed. "I'll manage," he grunted, but the grimace was evident in his face.

"You won't," I said resolutely. "You can't just put it back yourself. Do you even know how to do that?"

He looked at me, annoyed. "Do you?"

"Yes."

I saw a flash of surprise cross his face, but he quickly hid it with a skeptical look. "You've done this before?"

"Yes." No.

He studied me for a second, then he nodded.

For the tiniest moment, I let myself feel nervous. I'd never done it before. I saw Douglas relocate Eleanor's shoulder once, and he had explained what he was doing, and I watched a documentary on it once, but… no, I'd never done it before.

"You'll have to lie on the ground," I said, motioning to the forest floor. "On your back."

He didn't talk back or complain, and lied down with his arm positioned awkwardly. I kneeled down next to him and looked at him questioningly. "Can I..?" I began hesitantly, motioning that I wanted to touch his arm.

He nodded. I slowly, ever so slowly, guided his arm away from his torso, until it was about 45 degrees from his side. I made sure never to force and not to ask him whether it hurt or not. I knew he wouldn't like that; he was Cato after all, not some pussy-cat afraid of water.

Then, I grabbed his hand, and unwillingly I felt a tingle through my skin, and I saw him in that fire light again from two… three nights ago. That night he kissed me. I gritted my teeth, not trying to think about and trying to ignore the feeling of his eyes following my every move.

"Clove," I called, my voice more stern than I'd expected. "Hold him still."

She was on the other side of Cato in an instant, holding him by his right arm with more strength than one would expect from a short, lean fifteen year old girl.

I took a deep breath in order to calm myself down, but helped little. _I can do this_. Douglas explained me clearly what he did two years ago, as if he was a medic trying to teach his apprentice. _I can do this, I can do this, I can do this_ , I chanted in my mind.

"You ready?" I asked Cato, looking down at him. I didn't know whether I asked it for his or my own sake.

He nodded and looked up to the tree canopy, his eyebrows pinched in a uneasy frown already.

"This is gonna hurt like hell," I muttered underneath my breath, one hand gripping his hand a tad more forcefully, and the other his wrist.

I put my foot against his side as a little leverage. Then, firmly and steadily, I pulled his arm toward me until I heard the awful _pop!-_ sound, and an agonized groan filled the air.

I let go of him quickly, and for the shortest moment, there was a silence. Worry filled my mind. What if I accidently did something wrong? What if I only made it worse?

"Shit," he hissed, gripping his shoulder and sitting upright.

I sat down on my knees, studying his shoulder closely. "How does it feel?" I asked nervously, though I tried desperately not to show my fear for him.

He felt on his shoulder for a while, his eyebrows still furrowed in a frown. "Better," he replied.

I blew out a sigh and rubbed my face in relief. "Good."

I stood up and held my hand to him. He took it and I pulled him up, and I couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy at the way he looked at me with his piercing, icy blue eyes. I looked away, to Clove.

She approached me with a wry smile and put her hands on her hips. "I have to say, Four," she said with an air of lightness despite the situation, "I doubted you. From the very beginning. And when you threw up just now, I almost wanted to kill you. But you've just proven yourself worthy after all."

An eyebrow quirked up as I stared at her open-mouthed. "What makes you think I need your approval?" I said with a bitter, humorless laugh.

She shrugged, crossing her arms in front of her, still smiling. "You don't need my approval," she replied nonchalantly. "I'm just saying that I am now able to completely resist the urge of wanting to kill you."

I tried not to wince at that, and lifted my chin instead. "Well, thanks for suppressing the basic need of killing," I said dryly.

She snorted. Then her face fell back in a more serious look. "We need to get going," she said, looking at Cato, who was trying to roll his shoulder.

"No!" I called out, making him snap his head to me. I walked over to him and swatted his right hand away from his shoulder. "Don't you know anything? You shouldn't move it. Technically not for a week or even two, but since we're here… you can't move it for at least two or three _days_."

"Three days?" he repeated, dumb-founded. "I can't _not_ move my arm for three days!"

I frowned. "Are you left-handed?" I asked confused.

"No."

"Well. Then it's settled," I said determinedly. "Clove, do you have any bandage left? And an extra shirt?"

Clove went through her pack and nodded. "What for?" she asked.

"To strap his arm," I answered, and silence Cato's protests with a death glare. "Moving it will cause more harm than good."

She handed me a small roll of bandage with one sticky side, and a shirt. I took the bandage when I remembered something I'd seen Douglas do after Eleanor dislocated her shoulder all those years ago.

I stepped back again and lowered my hand holding bandage. "You, uhm, you'll have to take your shirt off," I mumbled, my eyes darting from him to the trees.

He gave me a look, and from the corner of my eyes I could see Clove grin.

"Oh, you're in for a real treat," she said in a sing-song voice, and I felt my cheeks become red.

"Shut the fuck up, Clove," Cato snapped at her as he rolled his eyes, and I wondered at the relationship together. Had they once been..? Or did they see each other more like brother and sister, or just best friends? Or maybe they were just district partners, not having known each other until the Reaping?

I bit the inside of my cheek as he unhandily took off his shirt with one hand. I almost asked him if he needed help, but I stopped myself in time. I had to give it to Clove… he was pretty fit. And that was a very, very, _very_ big understatement.

I tried to stop my eyes from lingering on his trained torso, but Clove must've noticed it anyways, 'cause she snorted. I quickly averted my eyes and folded my arms across my chest, looking at an exquisitely interesting tree.

"Alright," Cato said in his deep voice. "Do what you've gotta do."

I swallowed thickly and approached him again. Then I got to work. I taped the bandage onto his skin, and every time I touched his skin with my fingers, I felt as if I got an electric shock, making me shiver.

"Were you a healer in your district?" Cato asked quietly, and I glanced at him briefly.

"No," I replied as I continued. "But my best friend's family are healers. They taught me much."

I told him nothing more, thinking of Eleanor and Douglas. It had been a strange situation, come to think of it; as if it was a healing lesson instead of some emergency. Eleanor and I were climbing a palm tree for coconuts until she fell onto her shoulder. I was horrified by seeing her shoulder out of its place, and didn't know what to do.

Douglas arrived when he heard me shout for help, and, seeing he was a healer, relocated her shoulder. But he couldn't do it alone, he told me. I had to help him hold her still, and as he went to work, he calmly explained what he was doing.

After I strapped the bandage onto Cato's upper arm and shoulder, I gave him his shirt back, which he'd discarded onto the ground.

He smirked, and it caught me off guard more than I would've liked to admit. I looked away until his shirt was on, which probably made him feel even more amused.

As quickly but careful as I could, I made a sling from the ripped T-shirt, bending his arm close to his chest so that his shoulder would be hard to move.

He was watching me work—I felt it—and my eyes flickered to his blue ones. I paused for a brief moment and without meaning to, I felt a small smile creep onto my face.

"There," I said and withdrew quickly. "That's the best I can do. Keep it that way and do not move it."

He looked at his arm tied closely to his chest, then to me. "Thank you," he said, with a voice softer than I had expected, but there was an amused look in his eyes that made me uneasy.

I shrugged, a little awkwardly. "No problem." We looked at each a few more seconds, and I opened my mouth to say something, _anything_ , to break that stupid silence between us.

Clove cleared her throat, and I looked away from him. I'd almost forgotten she was here, too.

"You guys should play in a drama," she said, rolling her eyes. "We should go."

Cato and I glanced at each other, but I decided to ignore what Clove said. "The Cornucopia is blown up, you don't have anywhere to go."

"Thanks for the reminder, Ms. Obvious," Clove replied sourly and picked up her pack. She rummaged through it until she found her water can, and offered it to Cato. "But you know," she continued as Cato then handed the water to me, "you don't have anywhere else to go, too. So either you can stay here and wait 'till a tribute finds you, or you come with us and find them _first_."

I gave the water back to her. "I thought you wanted me dead," I said, a bit puzzled.

"We did," Cato said, to my surprise. I felt my heart sink. "But you might be useful anyways." With that, he nodded down to his arm.

I balled my fist. How could he say something like that? I was _useful_? What about the fact that he stuck by my side for three days, or that I saved him from those fucking tracker-jackers? I wanted to scream at him, demand him what was going on in his mind!

"I'm very glad I can be at your service," I gritted out angrily.

"I really don't see any other options for you, Four," Clove said with a sly grin.

I thought about for a long moment. With the new rule, Cato and Clove could both win the Games. Why did they want me here, with them? Did they see me as a threat, and was that why they wanted to keep me as their friend, helping them win? Why would I accept that?

On the other hand, they could help me out too, for a while. With them, I could actually stay alive longer. And when it would be clear that they were close to winning, too close, I could escape. How many tributes were still alive? Cato, Clove, Katniss, Peeta, Dara, Thresh, and me. Seven. Once there were five or four left, I would leave them. It was obvious Cato didn't really care about me anymore. At least not it _that_ way. So I decided not to feel about him in that way as well. I would learn their vulnerabilities, and use them against them.

It was a good plan, I supposed. I had no idea where it would get me, and if I would actually play it like this, but I made my decision.

"Alright," I said, acting casual.

They looked at me for a moment, piercing brown eyes and icy blue ones. Then, they both nodded curtly. "Good choice," Clove said. "Now, let's go."

We started walking, not really caring which direction to go, but then I thought of something.

"I might know a place to go," I said, and Cato and Clove turned to look at me curiously. "It's near the lake."

Now I was walking up front, and Cato and Clove followed behind. I felt vulnerable, without my pack and without my blades. But I made sure to keep my shoulders squared and to keep walking confidently.

It was near dark when we made it to the lake, and then I had to decide whether to go left or right. I couldn't really remember to be honest, so I asked them if we shouldn't eat something. "We've been walking the whole afternoon, non-stop," I said. "Do you have some food left?"

"Not much," Clove replied.

"It'll do," Cato said. "We can hunt for some rabbits tomorrow."

He looked at me as he said it, and I knew he remembered that I had skinned that rabbit for him. But the problem was, I hadn't. It was Dara who'd skinned it for me. But I wasn't about to tell him that.

We stayed in the forest, not wanting to be so out in the open while we ate. Clove went through her backpack and retrieved some dried meat out of it. I looked at Cato. "How's your shoulder doing?" I asked.

He shrugged with only his right shoulder. "Sore, but I'll manage."

I opened my mouth to say something, but a soft, chiming sound made us all look up. Floating down from the sky was a can tied to a parachute. A sponsor!

I scrambled up and took it out of sky. The tag said Cato. The can was bigger than normal, and I shared a curious glance with Cato as I handed it over to him.

He looked at the tag and frowned. "It's from Finnick and Mags," he said, baffled. "And from Brutus and Enobaria."

My eyebrows shot up. They teamed up? How… strange.

He opened the can and took out a small box. It was a crème, probably for his shoulder, to ease the pain. The he took out a package of dark blue fabric. He dropped the can and folded the package out.

"It's a sling," I realized aloud. "For your shoulder."

"Oh."

So the next moment, I replaced the improvised sling with the blue one. He almost wanted to take off his shirt again, but I stopped him with a laugh and said that wasn't necessary. I almost said that it was a pity, but I didn't have the guts.

When I was finished, Cato stood up, testing if he really couldn't move his left arm. Then he looked at Clove and me. "I'm gonna take a look around."

I held him back and shook my head. "No!" I said quickly, _too_ quickly. I cleared my throat. "I'll do it. You should, uhm, rest your arm."

If I wanted to find out which way to go for the cave, I'd had to look around myself. And, he really wasn't in a well enough condition to fight with another tribute, should he bump into someone.

"Here," Clove said and reached for her knife belt. She handed one of her knives to me.

I took it out of her hands, one eyebrow raised. "Thanks," I said, but my voice had an evident sarcastic edge. I started walking away.

"I've seen the bull's eyes you threw back in the Capitol," she called after me, and I could hear her grin. "One's more than enough."

I shook my head, allowing myself to chuckle. Then I looked around for any hints of a rocky river bank. I think I searched for roughly ten minutes before I figured out we had to go left. Of course we had to go left. The cave was fairly close to the Cornucopia, not farther away to my right.

I went back, and then I suddenly got this nervous feeling. What if Cato and Clove had left me? I would be all alone, with only a knife to defend myself with. I looked up at the darkening sky, then ran back to the forest.

They were still here. I heard their voices before I saw them, and let loose a sigh of relief. Quietly, I approached them. "We should rest here for the night," I said, and they both jolted in surprise.

I chuckled. "If you didn't talk so loud, you would've actually heard me coming," I said, a bit softer now. "You Careers really know nothing, do you?"

"We were trained to kill, not to be scared and pathetic," Clove replied unworried.

I folded my arm in across my chest. "What about being cautious?" I shot back. "I hate to break the news for you, but you're not that strong anymore. What if it wasn't me approaching you, but Thresh? Cato can't fight as well as he could—his shoulder is a vulnerability Thresh could use. And sorry, Clove, but you could never fight against him and make it out alive. He's way too strong for you, I've seen him during training." Clove's face hardened at me doubting her, but I ignored her. "You should be more watchful."

Clove opened her mouth to bite something back at me, but Cato beat her to it.

"Fine, _mom_ ," he said, a strange, amused twinkle in his eyes. "We'll be more careful next time."

They actually listened to me. Holy shit. I tried not to show them my surprise and kept a straight face. I didn't even mean to ramble so much and to tell them off like that. The words just… escaped my mouth before I knew it.

At least Cato didn't throw me against a tree and threaten to kill me slowly.

I sighed softly and sat down on the ground. I was silent the rest of that evening, listening to their, now much quieter, banter.

Eventually, I spaced out and stared into the dark forest. I thought of Eleanor and Eridan, and Byron and Douglas and Glan. I thought of my parents, the sweet neighbors Pearl and Aiden, and I thought of Finnick and Mag. Would they be angry, seeing me with Cato _again_?

And suddenly I felt a longing soar through me. A longing for home, for being with the ones I loved again. All this time, I had wandered through this Arena, the sole thought on my mind being survival. One would almost forget _why_ they wanted to survive. I almost forgot. I wanted to go home. I wanted to sleep in my own bed. I wanted to wriggle my toes in the white sand and feel the salt water in my hands. I wanted to feel the fresh air and breeze play with my hair. I wanted to wear a light, airy dress over my swimwear and flip flops on my feet as I walked downtown.

I had to go home. I had to survive. For my parents and Byron and Eleanor and Eridan… and Hadrian. I had to win.

I glanced at Cato's figure in the darkness. I could just see how he was inspecting his sword. I couldn't get attached to him. Not like before. If I wanted to survive the Hunger Games, I had to put myself first.

The sky lit up and I jerked up at the sound of the anthem. I had started to hate Panem's hymn. The only face I saw in the sky, was my district partner's. His face was soft, but stern at the same time. I could remember his normal face again, not the pale white face I'd seen hours ago.

No, I saw his rich, golden brown tanned skin, his ocean blue eyes and his dark brown hair.

And then he was gone.

I looked down at the forest floor and plucked some blades of grass out of the ground. "May you find peace in your passing," I whispered softly. It was something our mayor always said after having to watch a tribute from our district die. It was shallow, yes, but I had to voice it.

Knowing I wouldn't be able to sleep that night, I offered I'd watch first, but I didn't wake Cato and Clove to relieve me. Instead, I stared to the sky, and played with Clove's knife until light returned in the Arena.


End file.
